Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 358 Your Majesty, please reconsider!
"The imperial edict reads: I, having received the Mandate of Heaven and inherited the great foundation laid by Emperors Taizu and Taizong, rule over all lands. Recently, the Jurchens have been rampant with violence, taking advantage of the chaos to rise up, disturbing our borders, and raiding and plundering. I hereby order the Prince of Yan to lead six armies to subdue them, to demonstrate the might of Heaven and to eliminate the guilty. You soldiers, acting on behalf of Heaven to punish the guilty, bravely fight the enemy, punish the disobedient barbarians, and cause rivers of blood to flow. Their crimes deserve death; they beg for their lives. I, by the Mandate of Heaven, govern the four directions, and out of benevolence towards life, I will spare their lives, teaching them the ways of the sages and guiding them with the benevolent rule of the king. You soldiers, with utmost loyalty and complete merit, will be rewarded with further titles and honors. This is my decree..."

Outside the city walls of Linhuang Prefecture, in the central tent of the Song army, a sea of ​​bowed figures stood as the imperial edict was read aloud. The soldiers slowly raised their heads…

They looked at each other...

Most were completely bewildered and puzzled, so they all slowly turned their attention to His Highness the Prince of Yan, who had returned to the central seat...

His Highness the Prince of Yan also frowned deeply...

The one who conveyed the imperial decree was the Deputy Chief of the Privy Council, Xuanzan. This was a difficult job that most civil officials were unwilling to do, or were too tired to do, and were even more afraid of going beyond the Great Wall and risking danger. It had to be a military general like Xuanzan who had fought in battles.

After reading it, Xuanzan also sensed that the atmosphere inside the tent was a bit off, so he lowered his head slightly and didn't say much.

In the silence of the tent, the first person to speak was Liu Zhengyan, who asked, "Your Majesty, I wonder when the Jurchen envoy arrived in Tokyo..."

This question was on many people's minds: how could it be that even the many military officers in Linhuang Prefecture were unaware of this matter? Clearly, His Highness the Prince of Yan was also unaware.

Actually, that's not the case. Su Wu already knew. The message from the King of Taiyuan had arrived long ago, but Su Wu simply didn't tell anyone else.

But then Liu Zhengyan asked again, "Your Majesty, if we retreat like this, wouldn't it be a terrible situation, handing everything over to others?"

Liu Zhengyan started the conversation, and Lu Da, who had been pondering but was clearly slow to think, immediately chimed in, "Yes, what will happen to the various tribes of the grasslands who are allied with the Great King if we leave?"

Upon hearing this, the most anxious person was none other than King Morgen of the Shiwei. He immediately got up from his seat and stepped forward: "Your Majesty, you must not retreat! If Your Majesty retreats, won't our Shiwei be doomed? And what about the many Khitans who have come from the grasslands and mountains?"

Today, the imperial edict arrived. Su Wu had been waiting for a long time and deliberately gathered everyone together in advance. Not to mention the various military generals, even the Khans of the grassland tribes were present.

After the King of Shiwei finished speaking, countless people stood up to continue, which was incredibly anxious. A single imperial edict could determine the life or death of countless people!
Su Wu frowned repeatedly, seeing that the person in front of him was about to stand up and speak. He raised his hand slightly and waved it slowly: "Don't be so hasty and noisy. Speak slowly, one thing at a time, and let me think about it for a while."

As Su Wu spoke, he looked around at the people, his gaze lingering on Yue Fei for a second or two.

After scanning the area, Su Wu sighed softly...

Since His Highness the Prince of Yan has spoken in this way, let us speak one by one. Let the one sitting at the head of the table speak first…

Liu Keshi spoke up: "The best... the best... there should be a solution that satisfies both sides. Now, Your Majesty's power is not what it used to be. If you disobey the imperial decree, it will shake the court and the country, cause an uproar, and create discord between the emperor and his ministers. If that happens, Your Majesty will be in danger. So you can't act recklessly. A solution that satisfies both sides is better. You can neither disobey the imperial decree nor allow the Jurchens to become too powerful."

The middle-aged veteran general Yao Pingzhong said, "You make it sound so easy. There's no perfect solution. Either we don't fight, or we fight. If we fight, we're disobeying the imperial order. If we don't fight, we're letting the tiger return to the mountain! Our Great Song has lost the hearts of the people on the grasslands. If the Jurchens cause trouble again in the future, who will believe us when we come back?"

Lin Chong's words were brief and to the point: "The Jurchens will surely descend into chaos one day! This has always been the case with barbarians, and it was even more so with the Tanguts in the past!"

Hua Rong also said, "Yes, Your Majesty, the Jurchens will surely descend into chaos one day!"

Wu Jie also spoke up: "Your Majesty, let's not even talk about destroying the Jurchens this time. If we cannot capture Linhuang Prefecture to use as a garrison, the Jurchens will surely sweep across the grassland tribes in less than half a year. At that time, it will truly be a calamity for the Xiongnu and Turks!"

Su Wu's gaze followed the conversation, and he glanced at Wu Jie a few more times. Wu Jie was still young, but he saw things very clearly...

Seeing that the Prince of Yan was looking at him, Wu Jie said more: "Even if we capture Linhuang Prefecture, it is not safe. The Jurchens will surely launch a strong attack in the future. They will definitely be well prepared, and the troops stationed here may also fall. Therefore, even if we capture Linhuang Prefecture, there should be strong troops and generals here, just like Geng Gong of the Han Dynasty, who was determined to defend it to the death. I am not capable, but I am willing to capture Linhuang Prefecture first and then defend it!"

Su Wu was very pleased. Wu Jie had been focused on Yue Fei all along. In fact, Wu Jie and Yue Fei were somewhat of the same kind of people, as were many others before him...

Su Wu's expression remained troubled, his brows furrowed.

The gaze continued, and then the Zubu King spoke, tears streaming down his face, his voice trembling with sobs: "Your Majesty, if you must leave, please take my entire Zubu tribe with you... If we remain on the grasslands, we fear our entire tribe will be wiped out!"

It's highly unlikely that King Zub would bring all of Zub together, but Zub has truly reached that point.

He thought to himself, "If I had known this would happen, why didn't I just follow in the footsteps of Hurzahusi and join the Jurchens? It's too late for regrets now."

Unfortunately, he had no choice.

Su Wu's gaze swept left and right, but it lingered on Yue Fei for a moment. Yue Fei frowned and remained silent.

Su Wu finally spoke: "Please hold your tongues. I have thought this over carefully. We must retreat. We cannot defy the will of Heaven. Now I am the Prince of Yan, commanding a large army and overseeing the provinces and prefectures. If I disobey the imperial decree, as General Liu said, the world will think I, Su Wu, am a traitor. Everyone will be in danger, the emperor will be terrified, and the world will be in chaos! It is not an option. Only by obeying the imperial decree and returning to the capital can we avoid such a situation!"

How could the crowd not be shocked upon hearing this?
As the King of Shiwei approached, he was already within a step of Su Wu. Su Wu's guards stepped forward to block him, some even gripping the hilts of their swords.

At this moment, King Tielali of the Zubu clan knelt down on both knees and said, "I beg Your Majesty to lead my entire Zubu tribe back south together!"

Speaking of which, the first to suffer after Su Wu left was Shiwei the Black Cart, and the second was King Zubu.

Then the King of Shiwei spoke excitedly: "Your Majesty, I truly do not understand how things have come to this. If that is so, why did you do it in the first place? We have survived by kowtowing and begging the Jurchens. Your Majesty has betrayed your promise, and the Song Dynasty has betrayed its promise. What will the world think of us? Your Majesty, do you know that from this day forward, Your Majesty will be the mortal enemy of all the tribes of the grasslands!"

"How dare you! How dare you!" Fan Yun, who was standing half a step in front of Su Wu, was about to draw his sword.

Su Wu slightly raised his hand and waved: "Let's step back, there's no need for that! This is just the truth. To betray our friends and break our promises is a matter of life and death. It's only human nature... Alas... What can we do? The retreat is the Emperor's will. If we don't comply, I'm afraid the Emperor will be alarmed and immediately summon all the troops in the land to be on guard against us. That's not an option! How about this, before I leave, I'll meet with the Jurchen chieftain and see if we can reach an agreement, so that the Jurchens will pledge not to attack any of the tribes on the grasslands."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked doubtful...

Wu Yong murmured, "Your Majesty...Your Majesty...The Jurchens were treacherous and faithless in the past, which is why we were besieged in Dongjing. And now, to impose three laws again, isn't that...Alas..."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Even without the past, and the barbarian language, how many times throughout history have agreements been kept?
Leaving aside the barbarians, let's talk about the Central Plains, and about the people themselves. Human nature and human hearts are all the same; there are only strengths and weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages...

Su Wu had already stood up, seemingly angry, but he didn't express it. He was angry with himself, pacing back and forth, looking around, and asked, "What should I do? You are not commoners, how could you not know the advantages and disadvantages of this situation? If I don't go back and stay here to fight with you, I'm afraid that one day you won't even be able to get through the gates, and you will all become traitors!"

These words left everyone speechless.

They had underestimated the situation earlier, but now that they've considered it further...

Su Wu added, "Leaving aside the question of when we will return, I only ask you where your rations come from? From Xingqing to Datong, if your rations are cut off, how many days can the tribes of the grasslands survive? Or can they survive for a lifetime?"

Everyone was terrified at this moment... Yes, they hadn't expected this at all...

There was also Su Wu's words: "Stop your clamor, my mind is made up, retreat!"

Iron Thorn, who had been kneeling, suddenly slumped into a sitting position, his back hunched, muttering, "It's ruined, it's ruined..."

The King of Shiwei burst into curses: "Think back to the Khitan of the past, those who ate meat were despicable. Now that they see the Central Plains, they are just like this. The Jurchens should rise! The Jurchens should rise!"

The Shiwei King, a Khitan son-in-law, was the only one among the many Khans who could speak Chinese.

Lin Chong immediately retorted, "Your Majesty, surely it doesn't have to come to this? Why... why not withdraw the troops? Is this how the Emperor should treat us?"

Liu Keshi continued Lin Chong's words: "General Lin, how dare you take chances with this matter? We must find a solution that satisfies both sides. Disobeying the imperial decree is absolutely unacceptable!"

Wu Yong still spoke in that somber tone: "Alas... there is no perfect solution. Let's retreat and ensure the stability of the realm first, and the stability of you all first... We can fight another day, another day. After all, the Han has defeated the Xiongnu, and the Tang has destroyed the Turks. A protracted war... might even be beneficial for you generals' future prospects... it might not necessarily be a bad thing..."

The King of Shiwei even came to curse: "You Song people, may you die a horrible death! May you die a horrible death! I had hoped to be brothers with Liao and Song, but I have entrusted myself to the wrong people! This matter will be a laughing stock for future generations!"

The King of Shiwei pointed his finger at the Song people in the tent and cursed them, which naturally enraged many of them. However, when they looked at the King of Shiwei face to face, they could not say anything...

Speechless!

Su Wu nodded and said, "Let's retreat. Afterwards, each of us should pack up our camps. The baggage train will go first, followed by the auxiliary troops, and the cavalry will cover the rear!"

Then someone asked, "Your Majesty, are you really going to retreat now?"

Su Wu looked up and saw Yue Fei. He finally spoke, and Su Wu was overjoyed, but nodded with a disappointed expression: "Retreat, retreat... The duty of a subject cannot be disobeyed! Things are not the same as before. Perhaps it is truly my fault that I have wielded too much power! In the past, I was only focused on the war, I was young and ignorant, and my thoughts were not thorough..."

Yue Fei's face was filled with conflicted emotions, and he sighed, "Alas..."

Yue Fei sighed, and Su Wu was disappointed.

But Yue Fei suddenly said, "If this army retreats, how can the Han and Tang dynasties be restored? The tribes of the grasslands will no longer trust our Great Song Dynasty and will regard our Great Song Dynasty as an enemy. The Jurchen army is so powerful that few in the world can rival it. If Your Majesty returns, I'm afraid the armies of all the tribes will have to be separated, and tens of thousands of cavalrymen will be assigned to various places and prefectures. Your Majesty may find it difficult to go into battle again. Who can stop the tigers and wolves of the Jurchen?"

Yue Fei was incredibly intelligent!
These words brought a look of sorrow to everyone's eyes. They looked at Su Wu and the others, sighing deeply. The atmosphere was incredibly oppressive...

Su Wu seemed stumped by Yue Fei's retort and affected by the sighs of the crowd. He retorted, "You're all blaming me for retreating? Huh? Yue Pengju, if you were me, what would you do?"

Yue Fei opened his mouth, about to say something, but then froze, unsure of what to say.

Yes, the king wanted to withdraw his troops, but Yue Fei naturally disagreed. He also knew that the consequences of withdrawing the troops would be unimaginable. As a military general, he naturally had to express his displeasure!

But... if we really put ourselves in his shoes, yes, if the king doesn't retreat, what else can he do? It seems like there's no way out.

This……

Yue Fei felt a great shock and powerlessness, as well as frustration and unhappiness... a mixture of emotions.

Suddenly Su Wu exclaimed, "I understand! I understand!"

Everyone looked up quickly, wondering what the king knew.

The king, enraged, pointed at the crowd: "You all want me dead! You all want me dead! Only my death can resolve this matter!"

Wu Yong was greatly alarmed and immediately asked, "Why does Your Majesty say such a thing...?"

Everyone quickly bowed and started chattering...

"What are you saying, Your Majesty?"

"Your Majesty has misunderstood; that was not what I meant..."

Yue Fei also said, "This humble general did not mean to force you, but it is truly because such a retreat is... alas... Wouldn't the world be plunged into chaos in the future, with wars breaking out everywhere, and the people suffering endlessly, with no peace ever again... Now, with the help of tens of thousands of soldiers, the problem can be solved once and for all. In the future... how many truly capable soldiers does our Great Song Dynasty have... alas..."

Yue Fei knew everything, but at this moment, he was not the one making the decision. Since the decision-maker was determined to retreat, he himself said that the consequences of retreating would be severe.

What if Su Wu had decided not to retreat at this point?

Yue Fei, however, said something entirely different. He began to worry about the consequences of not retreating, and accused them of being disloyal and unjust.

It is also a matter of human nature. If someone is making decisions and choices, then others only need to consider the advantages and disadvantages of various decisions.

It was Su Wu who was manipulating people's hearts...

Su Wu was even more excited and said: "There is a way to achieve the best of both worlds. We can continue to fight and not retreat, and we can protect you and the soldiers in the future. I am the only one who will fight to the death. In this way, I will be worthy of our ancestors and the country, worthy of your loyalty and righteousness, and worthy of the common people and future generations!"

Upon hearing Su Wu's words, everyone was delighted, for there truly was a solution that could satisfy both sides.

Liu Keshi excitedly exclaimed, "Your Majesty is brilliant! Your Majesty, please speak!"

"Hmph..." Su Wu first chuckled coldly, then spoke with a sorrowful tone: "The army's provisions can still last for a few more days, and the provisions of other units can also be supplied in considerable quantities, perhaps enough to last for another month or two. You all fight to the death, and within one or two months, capture this city. The day after, when the army returns... I will commit suicide under the walls of Datong to atone to the Emperor. You can then return to your posts. The shock in the court and the public will subside on its own, the uproar in the world will cease, and the Emperor's fear will be put to rest! Everything will be settled!" The excited Liu Keshi suddenly froze on the spot, staring blankly at Su Wu.

What else could be on the faces of the crowd but surprise?
The Shiwei king, who had been cursing loudly, was now dumbfounded. Tie Lali, who needed a slow interpreter, looked up at Su Wu, his hand unconsciously wiping his nose.

Wu Yong burst into tears on the spot: "Your Majesty, you mustn't do this!"

Lu Da was even more blunt: "If my brother dies and my brothers live a stable and wealthy life in return, how can I face living?"

Yue Fei himself also said: "No, no, Your Majesty must not plot in this way!"

Su Wu retorted sharply, "You think I'm willing? I'm not willing at all!"

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief...

Su Wu continued, “But who is it that betrays faith and treachery? It is me! And I am the rightful heir of the Central Plains, the rightful ruler of the Great Song Dynasty. Do you think the war will be easy to fight in the future? I don’t know how many years and how many times we will fight, how many comrades will die on the battlefield, how many laborers will die from exhaustion on the roadside, and how much of the people’s hard-earned money will be wasted here… If I die, I will gain so much and leave a name for all time. Faced with this choice, what should I do?”

Su Wu's words—well, today it's all you people who are saying them, saying this and that, it's all you who are saying them…

Upon hearing this, Yue Fei's eyes reddened. These words were deeply moving, especially to Yue Fei's heart.

Even Yue Fei looked around and wondered if it was truly his own doing that had driven his teacher to this point.

Yue Fei suddenly felt deeply ashamed and knelt down, pleading, "Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

The king was even angrier: "Think it over to the left, think it over to the right, I've thought it over and over again. You've said this, you've said that. I've thought it over, so it's over. I'll just die. I might as well die on the battlefield. That would be the end of it all. Retreat!"

"Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty!"

Numerous voices rose and fell...

Su Wu waved his hand and said, "Get out of here! If you make any more noise and ruin my mood, you'll be punished with a military rod. Men, throw them out!"

The crowd didn't leave; they seemed to want to say more...

Su Wu glanced angrily at Fan Yun beside him and said, "You scoundrel, how dare you disobey orders?"

Fan Yun's face was flushed, and his eyes were red. He picked up his sheathed sword and spurred forward, shouting, "Go! All of you, go! Military orders cannot be disobeyed! Get out of the tent and return to your respective camps!"

Some of the armored soldiers followed Fan Yun in driving people away, but Lu Da, Liu Zhengyan, and the others refused to leave.

The scene quickly became noisy and chaotic...

Wu Yong stepped forward, saying, "Gentlemen, no rush, no rush. There's no need to rush now. We still have time to discuss and consider. The King is troubled, so please allow him to calm down. If his mind is calm, he might be able to come up with a brilliant plan. The same goes for you all. Calm your minds and think things through. You all go first, and we'll think of a solution later..."

Wu Yong is right; it's not something that can be done in a short time. Even if we retreat, it won't be something we can do today or tomorrow...

Wu Yong was embracing people with both hands, talking incessantly: "I and the King will persuade you generals to return home first, and we can discuss this again tomorrow morning..."

This process was repeated several times before the soldiers finally pushed the generals out of the main tent, but they lingered outside for a long time.

The noise outside the tent was extremely loud...

Su Wu waved his hand and said, "You all go out. Leave Wu Yuhou here. Also, drive the people outside the tent away, and make them go far away. Don't make a fuss and upset me. I've made up my mind!"

Fan Yun sighed and shook his head helplessly. He took his sword and left the tent, along with many other officers, clerks, and military advisors.

The imperial envoy, the prince consort Xuan Zan, was already terrified at this moment.

Wu Yong added, "General Fan, guard the main tent well, and make sure no one is around. The King and I will discuss this matter carefully, and we must not let anyone else hear it!"

There were only two people inside the tent, but neither of them spoke.

Su Wu sighed deeply and closed his eyes slightly; he was actually very tired.

After a long pause, Wu Yong finally spoke: "Your Majesty, today I have seen that most of my comrades in the army still... well... still know what is important and what is urgent, and they know the importance of Your Majesty!"

“Wu Yuhou is usually eloquent, but now he can’t even choose a single word?” Su Wu didn’t open his eyes.

Wu Yong smiled awkwardly: "This humble official may also be confused... Your Majesty is wise!"

Wu Yong felt a chill creep into his heart again. Today's events were truly astonishing; the king's cunning and methods were terrifying.

Sometimes, some things are incomparable; how can fireflies compare to the bright moon?

The two remained silent for a moment...

Su Wu suddenly spoke up: "This situation has truly come to this..."

Wu Yong was taken aback. What situation? The perilous situation of today? The perilous situation of today is also...

Wu Yong subconsciously looked at the king with his eyes closed, his mind filled with countless guesses. How could the court and the emperor have issued this decree to withdraw the troops?
Many principles were understood by almost everyone in the room, and even those who didn't immediately grasp them from the words of many others...

How can so many educated people in Tokyo not understand this?
Why didn't Prime Minister Cheng stop it when he was in Tokyo? And why couldn't Liu Yanqing, as the Grand Chancellor, stop it?
A few days later, there's also Qin Hui. Qin Hui is the man the King of Yan is counting on. Wasn't the King of Yan already certain that Qin Hui could handle this matter? How could this be...?

It seems that His Highness the Prince of Yan was speaking...

Is this situation truly unsolvable? Is it really a situation of defying the imperial decree?

Wu Yong originally thought that this situation was just an opportunity for Su Wu to establish his persona and demonstrate his loyalty and righteousness in front of many generals...

that……

What is the reason for this situation?

Wu Yong glanced at Su Wu, then looked around at the chairs, and then looked towards the entrance of the main tent...

This situation is...

It seems we've really gained something, like... the emotional support of all the military officers?

For example, it seems as if Su Wu was not disobeying the imperial edict, but rather as if these soldiers were forcing Su Wu to disobey the imperial edict.

How will these soldiers conduct themselves in the future?

So how will we spread the news of today's events throughout the world in the future... Let's not even talk about spreading it throughout the world, let's just talk about it among the many soldiers and civilians in various places...

It's as if there's a ship, the last ship, the last and biggest ship...

These people, one by one, seemed to have come up on their own...

This this……

Wu Yong looked at Su Wu again, unable to resist.

Su Wu suddenly brightened up, his eyelids twitching: "What are you looking at?"

Wu Yong quickly lowered his head, could it be...?

May……

possible……

In the imperial court, imperial edicts arrive, and in the future, more imperial edicts may arrive, and they will become increasingly severe.

It must be so!

Then wasn't it all just a scheme?

Did Xu plot against the Prince of Yan, even targeting his father-in-law?

Yes, right now, what could be more important than military affairs?
If military matters cannot be settled without any chance of success, then no matter what other matters are handled, wouldn't they all be just a pipe dream?
This also shows how complex and dangerous the situation the Prince of Yan is facing.

Today... one thing has finally been truly settled.

"Let's see if Your Majesty can come up with a brilliant plan..." Wu Yong's voice trembled slightly, his mind a jumble of thoughts, and he made up the words on the spot.

"Hmph!" Su Wu sneered twice, then closed his eyes again and said, "Pass on the order: there will be no meeting tomorrow morning!"

"Then..." Wu Yong wanted to ask a lot of questions, such as what to do if all the generals gathered up and insisted on seeing him tomorrow morning when there was no meeting.
“They said I spent the whole night sighing and couldn’t sleep, and that I was resting this morning!” Su Wu said.

"Yes, sir!" Wu Yong nodded repeatedly.

"Tomorrow afternoon, I will go out to the northern mountain peaks to scout the enemy camp. All generals may follow..." Su Wu said, indicating that the mission must continue tomorrow, ensuring the large ship is fully operational so that no one has any chance to disembark.

"Understood. At noon tomorrow, I will personally go and speak with the generals..." Wu Yong bowed beside him.

"You go too, first calm everyone down..." Su Wu waved his hand.

Wu Yong bowed and went out.

Su Wu slowly stood up from his seat and paced back and forth inside the large tent.

Whether it's Yue Fei, Wu Jie, Liu Keshi, Yao Pingzhong, or even Liu Zhengyan...

They were all caught in the trap, and Liu Zhengyan was no exception...

Unfortunately, Master Zhong isn't here...

And the Khans of the various steppe tribes, having faced life and death together, should be even more grateful... This further highlights Su Wu's unparalleled benevolence and righteousness...

It's all because you insisted on doing it this way!

Su Wu shook his head helplessly, thinking to himself, "The book is really too superficial..."

It turns out that managing the affairs of this nation and the world is so complex and difficult...

(Guys, how about a kiss...)
(End of this chapter)