Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 357 Eliminating Traitors, Opening Channels for Confession, and Destroying the Jurchen

The next day, Chen Dong indeed kept his word, and countless people gathered outside Donghua Gate. Although there were not ten thousand, there were certainly at least a thousand, and they were all students. Not only students from the Imperial Academy, but also students from Kaifeng Prefectural Academy had come...

In addition, there were various scholars who had been invited, and as many as 1,300 or 1,400 people came.

There is no court assembly today, and the emperor is also in the deep palace.

The organization outside Donghua Gate was excellent; in a moment, they shouted in unison, "Eliminate the traitors, open up channels for free speech, and destroy the Jurchens!"

The slogan is short and direct; after shouting it a few times, your throat will need a rest.

Many students and scholars then began to raise their arms and shout along the Zhuque Avenue.

"Neighbors and fellow villagers, the Jurchen siege of the city was a humiliation, a disgrace! The bandits even reached the capital region, and so many of our compatriots suffered in the Hebei and Beijing areas. Men were killed, women were abducted—and that was happening outside the city! The Prince of Yan was advancing with unstoppable momentum, yet in the court, treacherous officials were inciting the emperor, and they wanted to call a truce... How could such a humiliation be forgiven... How could such a deep-seated hatred go unavenged..."

Many Tokyoites stopped to listen, some knowing what was going on, some not, and a buzz of discussion ensued...

The uncultured man said, "Damn it! His Highness Prince Yan is fighting so well, winning one victory after another, yet we're telling him to retreat? Why? It's because His Highness Prince Yan, like us, comes from humble origins. Those officials can't stand His Highness Prince Yan holding such a high position. They're traitors and villains, and they're determined to get rid of him!"

Then someone rolled up their sleeves and put their hands on their hips to chime in: "That makes sense. Just like Prime Minister Di in the past, he came from a humble background and was naturally ostracized by those other prime ministers..."

Cultured people in the circle naturally say: "King Yue was defeated and his kingdom destroyed, imprisoned, but he endured hardship and humiliation until he finally avenged himself. Emperor Gaozu of Han was trapped at Baideng, and he sought women and children to save his life, and after several generations, he wiped away his shame. Emperor Taizong of Tang made a treaty under the city walls, using money and women to lift the siege, and after strengthening his army, he finally captured the Turkic Khan and brought him to Chang'an! Now, our Great Song Dynasty often talks about restoring the Han and Tang dynasties in recent years, and revenge is just around the corner. Why then do we still let the tiger return to the mountain? If the treacherous officials are not eliminated, the country will cease to exist!"

Someone else added: "If the treacherous officials are not eliminated, the country will cease to exist. In the future, the roles of offense and defense will likely change. If the Jurchen army besieges Tokyo again, the country's demise will not be far off!"

"Alas... I wonder who came up with such a traitorous plan. They deserve to die!"

"Who else could it be but Wang Fu, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel who was promoted eight ranks above his station! Who else could it be but him?"

Just then, from the front gate, the students shouted again: "Eliminate the traitors, open up channels for free speech, and destroy the Jurchens!"

All you could hear was shouting from the front, and then shouting from the back...

Looking at Donghua Gate again, where were the thousand or so people? The number of people was increasing, now reaching two or three thousand, and even the main road was showing signs of congestion.

People continued to arrive from all directions, having only just learned that the imperial students were petitioning for permission to join in the fun.

Inside the imperial city, the emperor was aware of the situation and was extremely worried. Wang Fu also rushed to the scene.

In fact, more people came, and Cheng Wanli was still waiting to be summoned at the Zuoye Gate.

Whether or not they are allowed to meet depends on the emperor's word.

Instead of returning to the left side gate, the emperor said to Wang Fu, "I never imagined that Su Wu, a man of humble origins, would become so powerful..."

The emperor was very surprised. How could Su Wu possibly have such power in Tokyo?
Then Wang Fu said, "The current situation further demonstrates Your Majesty's foresight. This man has now formed factions both inside and outside the court, as well as between the civil and military factions. His power is already established. If we cannot eliminate him from within and without this time, we will truly be helpless in the future!"

As Wang Fu spoke, he also looked at the emperor, his heart filled with extreme nervousness.

The emperor's face was ashen. After the incident with Zhao Huan, Emperor Huizong's inner thoughts had indeed undergone some changes, though it was hard to pinpoint exactly what those changes were...

One thing is certain: Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) has lost much of his former innocence.

The emperor, his face hardening, slowly uttered the words, "Qin Hui..."

Wang Fu nodded repeatedly: "It's him! This scoundrel must be a close associate of the Prince of Yan!"

"I want to see him!" the emperor declared.

"Hmm?" Wang Fu was somewhat surprised.

"Let's see what Su Wu can promise him, and what things Su Wu can promise him that I cannot give him..." The Emperor's thinking was indeed clear.

Wang Fu suddenly realized what was going on and said, "Then I will send someone to invite them right away!"

"Go immediately!" The emperor waved his hand and added, "Summon Cheng Wanli here!"

Wang Fu went to invite Qin Hui, and Cheng Wanli arrived at the emperor's study shortly afterward.

When Cheng Wanli met the emperor, he was filled with sorrow. After paying his respects, he stood in front of him, not daring to utter a single word.

After a long while, the emperor asked, "You must know about what happened outside Donghua Gate, Minister Cheng..."

Cheng Wanli blurted out, "Your Majesty, this has nothing to do with me, nothing to do with me..."

Call it foolishness, blind loyalty, or perhaps an inherent weakness, or even a genetic reverence for the hierarchical relationship between ruler and subject...

All of these descriptions come together in Cheng Wanli, who has already reached the pinnacle of this art!

This has absolutely nothing to do with whether Cheng Wanli was a good person or not. This is simply how he was educated and raised, and this is how the vast majority of scholar-officials in the Song Dynasty lived their entire lives...

The incompetence and weakness of the civil officials and scholars in the late Northern Song Dynasty were so extreme that they could actually let charlatans use the magic of the Six Ding and Six Jia to defend the capital city of Bianjing (Kaifeng), and they could actually send the emperor to the Jurchens as a hostage.

Blind loyalty is even the most idealized term. Most people can't even be blindly loyal, because at least those who are blindly loyal can truly be loyal and truly serve their country!

That leaves only stupidity, incompetence, and weakness!
To be honest, not too long ago, if someone had told me that one day Cheng Wanli would be appointed prime minister, Cheng Wanli would never have believed it.

Including this recent encounter, Cheng Wanli may not have met the emperor more than ten times in his life. This is only because he had served as prime minister for a period of time. Before becoming prime minister, Cheng Wanli had only met the emperor three times in his decades of life.

At this moment, Cheng Wanli subconsciously blurted out the words "it has nothing to do with him," while his legs were trembling, large beads of sweat were dripping from his face, and he felt a chill run down his back...

The emperor only looked Cheng Wanli up and down. No matter how bad Zhao Ji was, he had been the emperor for more than 20 years. Although many of his ideas were castles in the air, after staying in these castles for so long, how could Zhao Ji not be a god or Buddha in front of someone like Cheng Wanli?
In addition, Zhao Ji's otherworldly and otherworldly appearance, as he looked Cheng Wanli up and down, exerted an indescribable pressure on Cheng Wanli's heart.

Cheng Wanli bowed deeply and said again, "Your Majesty, I have absolutely no involvement in the matter outside Donghua Gate! My loyalty and righteousness are as clear as the sun and moon!"

The emperor finally softened his expression and asked, "Do you know who was behind this and fueled it?"

The emperor himself knew, but he still insisted on asking.

Cheng Wanli's heart tightened. How could he not hesitate? He only raised his head slightly and met the emperor's gaze for a moment before he spoke: "He must be a descendant of Duke Wang Wengong!"

What is the source of human weakness?
It all comes down to luck. The stronger a person's sense of luck, the weaker they become.

What was Cheng Wanli's sense of relief at this moment? It was that it was enough, more than enough. The Cheng family's current status and reputation were more than enough.

Su Wu was already the King of Yan, which was more than enough for him.

As long as Su Wu returns, the family can live a good life. What could be worse? It's a future they never dared to dream of before.

Did Cheng Wanli really not know that things might not be as good as he imagined? Perhaps he did know, so he took a chance, a chance that everyone was alright, a chance that people's hearts were clear!
Fortunately, the emperor is benevolent. Although he may have some repressive feelings, he will surely consider his reputation and treat the Cheng family and Su Wu well...

This is the root of weakness.

The political struggles in the Song Dynasty were never truly brutal.

"Oh!" The emperor nodded, overjoyed. So... Cheng Wanli really wasn't on the same page as his son-in-law?

This discovery is truly astonishing.

The Emperor then asked, "Then... what does Minister Cheng think we should do about this matter of the Jurchens submitting their petition?"

Cheng Wanli simply replied, "Now that the world is at peace, all nations will surely come to pay tribute. Today, we are benevolent and virtuous to the world. The fact that you can tolerate the Jurchens shows the magnanimity of our superior nation. If this is known to all, they will surely admire the teachings of our superior nation and take Your Majesty as their model. From now on, there will be less conflict in the world, and the people of all nations will live in peace and prosperity. This is the essence of cultivating oneself, regulating one's family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world. Your Majesty's great achievement will last for thousands of years!"

The Emperor was already beaming with joy upon hearing this, and said in one sentence, "Minister Cheng has won my heart!"

Originally, he planned to meet Cheng Wanli, then send him away, and then meet Qin Hui. He never expected that meeting Cheng Wanli would bring such an unexpected gain.

The Emperor then said again: "Minister Cheng's profound discourse should be written down and shared with all the people of the world."

Cheng Wanli immediately nodded: "When I return, I will write this piece and name it 'On the State'."

Clearly, Cheng Wanli actually agreed with these remarks. Is this strange? Obviously not. Throughout history, there have always been many people like this, and there's a specific term for them: "holier-than-thou" hypocrites.

Sometimes, when this type of person is so seriously ill that their condition becomes incurable, they truly need to be taught a lesson by the Jurchen barbarians...

"Excellent! This essay, 'On the Superior State,' is truly outstanding!" The emperor looked at Cheng Wanli again, his mood extremely good. Even Cheng Wanli had "betrayed" him; how much of a chance did Su Wu have left?
The Emperor then said, "Minister Cheng, please sit down and have some tea. We need to wait a little longer until someone arrives; there are other matters we need to discuss..."

The emperor's methods were actually naive and clumsy, and his thinking was simple: he would call people over one by one to have a chat. What would they talk about?

Will you help me or him?
The way of children.

But unexpectedly, this childish method actually worked on Cheng Wanli. Cheng Wanli immediately stated, "I'll help you, but I won't help him."

Since it's happened once... let's do it again.

Before long, Qin Hui arrived, and Wang Fu came along with him, and they also paid their respects.

After Qin Hui finished bowing, he stood up and stood where Cheng Wanli had just stood. Directly in front of him was the imperial desk in the emperor's study, behind which sat the emperor, who had an air of otherworldly elegance.

Qin Hui took the initiative to speak: "I wonder what Your Majesty's orders are in summoning me here..."

Just like before, the emperor looked Qin Hui up and down and asked, "Did the Prince of Yan show you a deep favor?"

Qin Hui was taken aback upon hearing this. What kind of scheme was this? With Prime Minister Cheng present, this scheme couldn't possibly be a showdown, could it?

Qin Hui replied, "Your Majesty, I owe you the favor of recommending me."

The emperor nodded, his face darkening. He suddenly asked, "Was the incident outside Donghua Gate orchestrated by you behind the scenes?"

Qin Hui subconsciously shook his head: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty does not understand..."

The Emperor coldly replied, "Hmph... Don't you understand? I want to end the war, but the Prince of Yan insists on fighting. You started from the Imperial Academy, and those students were all your disciples. How could they not be your students?"

Qin Hui shook his head again: "Your Majesty, I really did not participate in this matter. If Your Majesty wants me to go out of Donghua Gate to repel those students, I will do my best to do so, but I absolutely did not participate in any petition!"

The emperor glanced at him sideways and said, "Even Minister Cheng said that this was your doing, yet you still try to deny it to his face. You are deceiving the emperor and being extremely audacious!"

Qin Hui subconsciously glanced at Cheng Wanli sitting to the side, and just looking at Cheng Wanli's expression...

Got it!

Everyone was fighting to the death for the Prince of Yan, so why did my father-in-law surrender first?
Qin Hui was completely dumbfounded. What kind of move was the emperor making?
In truth, even Emperor Huizong himself didn't know what he was doing. He simply wanted to ask, "Will you help me or him? If you help him, what benefits will you receive?" He could also offer…

And that's how this situation came about.

A bewildered Qin Hui immediately bowed deeply, saying, "Your loyalty is as clear as the sun..."

Before Qin Hui could finish speaking, the Emperor interrupted him loudly: "What benefits did the Prince of Yan promise you?"

This was a question that Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) was determined to ask; he had been waiting to ask Qin Hui this question before summoning him.

Qin Hui quickly denied it, saying, "The King of Yan never promised me any benefits..."

"How about I grant you a reward?" The emperor was truly confident at this moment.

Qin Hui was already covered in sweat, and he just kept bowing and saying, "It is my duty to serve Your Majesty, and I would never dare to ask for any reward."

The Emperor then said, "Now, there's no need to discuss this further. Go and clear everyone outside the Donghua Gate. From now on, I will know your loyalty. In the future, it will be easy to promote Minister Cheng to Duke and Vice Minister Qin to Minister of the Three Departments or Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel..."

The emperor's words and actions exuded an air of smugness.

That makes sense. The emperor is the ruler of the world. How could the emperor possibly have any problems with the court?

Who was Cheng Wanli?
Who exactly was Qin Hui?
Within the capital, is there truly anyone who can challenge the emperor's authority?

With just a little effort from the emperor, everything will be resolved on its own.

If things don't go smoothly today, and Su Wu really does become an official in the capital in the future, then things will be even more difficult, and the emperor will just be a figurehead.
For a time, Qin Hui was also in a state of utter confusion, not knowing what to do...

Cheng Wanli stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I will immediately write the 'Discourse on the State' and post it at Donghua Gate. I will personally go and persuade the students of the Imperial Academy to disperse!"

These words immediately put Qin Hui at ease, and he bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Majesty, I will immediately dismiss the many students!"

After speaking, Qin Hui sighed inwardly, "The plan has failed, the plan for the King of Yan has failed!"
This matter... In the end, the world belongs to the emperor. Those methods can be used behind the scenes, but once they are brought into the open, how can the emperor's authority be easily shaken?

In the future, the Prince of Yan may indeed lose power...

I will only remember the emperor's benevolence and righteousness, and not involve others. In the future, I will do my best to serve the emperor!

Qin Hui then looked at Cheng Wanli again. Why? Why did he surrender so easily? If Cheng Wanli had stood his ground and dared to fight against the emperor, Qin Hui would have been less afraid...

Cheng Wanli was routed, and Qin Hui's official position was lost with a single word from the emperor.

If Cheng Wanli can hold his ground, Qin Hui won't easily lose his official position...

The emperor, having already won a great victory, looked like a triumphant general and waved his hand, saying, "Go!"

The two wiped the sweat from their foreheads and immediately went.

Wang Fu, who was standing to the side, was overjoyed and hurriedly stepped forward to bow: "Your Majesty is truly skilled and wise. With just a few words, you have dismantled Su Wu's faction in the capital. Compared to Your Majesty, who has been so adept at strategizing and manipulating people, all other emperors throughout history are far inferior!"

Emperor Zhao Ji had already stood up, stroking his beard, and laughed: "Haha... The way of ruler and subject has always been like this! This court needs to be straightened out, just like stroking a beard. Once it's straightened out, the world will be at peace!"

Wang Fu simply nodded: "Your Majesty has great foresight and a brilliant strategic vision!"

The Emperor then spoke again: "Hmm... Issue an imperial edict, stating that in recognition of Wu Song's meritorious service in saving the Emperor and his diligent protection, Wu Song is hereby promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the Two Armies of Jingdong and granted the rank of General of Huaihua, a third-grade official! He is ordered to return home immediately without delay."

Wang Fu asked, "Your Majesty, why not transfer him to another place? The farther away from the capital, the better, preferably to the south..."

The Emperor replied, “This man has a deep friendship with the Prince of Yan and is highly trusted. I have recently tested him many times. He is poorly educated, has a rudimentary understanding of literature, but knows nothing about poetry, prose, calligraphy, or painting. He is a rough and uncultured man, ignorant of the great principles, and has many of the habits of the common people. He is a rough and uncultured man who likes to fight and be brave, and is not suitable for use. It would be best to let Su Wu give him an important position…”

Upon hearing this, Wang Fu laughed: "Then the official position Your Majesty has conferred is truly brilliant! In the Jingdong region, Su Wu has countless confidants and trusted men. Rather than sending someone else, it's better to use Wu Song, who is both an incompetent person and has secured the position..."

The emperor stroked his beard, smiling gently, in a truly good mood. He said in one breath, "Come, let's tour Genyue together today..."

"Your Majesty, please!" Wang Fu bowed.

Outside the Donghua Gate, Qin Hui went first and successfully persuaded the students to return home. His words were simple, and a small lie solved the problem. He simply told the students that the emperor was summoning his ministers to discuss the matter again, and that the petition had already taken effect, so there was no need to bother them any further...

If Qin Hui himself said it, how could the people not believe it?
Qin Hui then praised the crowd a few more times, and the crowd naturally believed that they had accomplished another great thing for the country and the people, so they happily went home.

Even without these students from the Imperial Academy, the Song Dynasty would have collapsed and perished.

However, Qin Hui also had his own headaches. Now that the public opinion had been spread, it had reached scholars, writers, commoners, and even brothels and theaters...

Everyone's saying they want to destroy the Jurchens and wipe away the shame...

And this public opinion will only grow stronger. Why? Who doesn't like straightforwardness? Where in the world are there such saints? Who doesn't appreciate the strength of the Han and Tang dynasties? Who enjoys the suffering of the Five Barbarian Tribes?
If things continue like this, what will happen once news of the Prince of Yan's disobedience reaches us?
Qin Hui racked his brains, but he still couldn't imagine what the future would be like... In which direction would this matter ultimately develop...?

In the north, outside Linhuang Prefecture, the armies have been locked in a stalemate for more than twenty days. Since the last battle, Su Wu has not taken the initiative to fight, and the Jurchens have been guarding their camps and refusing to come out.

However, it was the imperial edict from the Song emperor ordering the withdrawal of troops that arrived…

The Jurchens were waiting for this imperial edict, and Su Wu was also waiting for it!

The emperor made a few simple moves in the court...

Su Wu also wanted to do his part in the army...

(Brothers, 5,300 words today, muah... I'll keep updating more and more...)
(End of this chapter)