Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 367 Have you lost your mind?

Many battalion commanders, deputy commanders, and officers were waiting anxiously. Before they could even get too anxious, Yang Chun returned, walking into the tent with a look of annoyance on his face.

Everyone quickly stood up and asked, "Commander Yang? How is it?"

"Commander Yang, is it because General Lu doesn't allow it?"

"oops!"

"What should I do?"

Yang Chun didn't say a word, but the crowd kept talking and noticed his frustrated expression. After several rounds of discussion, Yang Chun buried his face in his hands and exclaimed, "I'm too late! I'm too late!"

"how?"

"That Hu Cheng, that Hu Cheng got there first! He found General Lu first, and his army went ahead! It's all my fault, sigh... I shouldn't have talked to you all so much earlier. There are so many of you, chattering away, making me drag things out!"

Yang Chun was extremely annoyed.

But everyone paused for a moment...

One of them said, "Hey! If Commander Hu goes first, it's fine, it's fine, it's alright!"

"Ok?"

Yang Chun suddenly realized what was happening and said, "That's right, that's right, Commander Hu and the King are family, how can he just sit by and watch his sister lose her husband? Haha..."

Everyone suddenly realized that they had just thought that they could only trust themselves and not others. But now that they thought about it, Hu Cheng was trustworthy, so how could he let the king be beaten or killed by others?
Then someone asked, "So, which number do we go?"

Yang Chun was no longer annoyed and said, "Get up early tomorrow and organize the troops properly. Tomorrow we'll go second. If we spread out our formation, we won't be far from the King!"

“Excellent. If it is close tomorrow, just rush up and hold the king back.”

"Yes, as long as we can see where the King is and what he is doing, it will be enough time!"

"Keep a close eye on things tomorrow. Even if Commander Hu fails, we'll still consider it a success!"

Yang Chun smiled and waved his hands to the left and right: "Disperse, get some rest. We'll set off tomorrow. Tell all the cooks to get up early and prepare the meals!"

"Order!"

Everyone was satisfied and went back. But they didn't rest immediately. They had to inform all the captains, who in turn told the soldiers to be at ease and know what to do the next day.

The next morning, at the crack of dawn, they set up camp to cook and eat. After the meal, the many troops assembled and set off.

One by one, in perfect order, with scouts leading the way and shouting military orders to coordinate the troops. With such a large force, the responsibility of coordination was especially important.

Hu Cheng truly walked to the front, and Yang Chun was second.

These were the generals who directly commanded and led the army, and they had to travel with the army. The higher-ranking generals all followed Su Wu closely, ready to give orders at any time if needed.

Today's march is slightly different; the main army is leading the way, and based on the pace, we should arrive in Datong tonight or tomorrow morning.

Today, the auxiliary troops and supplies will be left behind for dozens of miles. Many knights will ride ahead at high speed, as the king has ordered them to arrive at the city of Datong by noon today.

Just after noon, a large number of knights appeared in the north of Datong City, eating flatbread and water pouches, and slowly gathered outside the city.

On the city wall, the arrival of the cavalry was already in sight. Wang Fu rushed to the north city wall as soon as possible, a smile on his face. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

Seeing the large number of horses outside the city and the soldiers basking in the scorching sun, Wang Fu felt inexplicably happy.

Finally, they've got Su Wu under their control!

A scout stepped forward and said, "Open the gates! The Prince of Yan has returned in triumph. Why are the city gates tightly closed?"

Wang Fu personally replied, "Tell Su Wu that the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel is here, and let him come forward and speak to him!"

"Damn it!" The riders below the city wall cursed, and some even turned back to reach for their bow scabbards on their horses.

"Shoot this bastard to death!" came another angry remark.

But the leader said, "Don't do anything reckless, let's go!"

The scouts returned on command, and Wang Fu on the city wall felt even more delighted. He was already imagining Su Wu's pleading words and appearance when he was below the city wall.

I was also thinking about how to talk to Su Wu later...

Or, to put it another way, how to force Su Wu to atone for his crimes.

As Wang Fu had predicted, it wasn't long before Su Wu himself rode up, accompanied by several hundred riders.

Wang Fu smiled inwardly, thinking that Su Wu seemed to have learned to be afraid.

"Lord Wang!" Su Wu shouted from below the city wall!
Wang Fu clearly heard it, but pretended not to notice.

"Lord Wang! Su Wu has arrived!" Su Wu was still calling out.

All the soldiers on the city wall heard it and went to look at Wang Fu, but Wang Fu was still a little hard of hearing.

How could it not be a scheme meticulously planned and executed? A tactic to manipulate people!

Su Wu was in a hurry, so he shouted again, "Lord Wang, Su is here!"

Looking at the soldiers around Su Wu, whether generals or ordinary men, they were all already glaring angrily.

Who was Su Wu? On the battlefield, his spirit was as fierce as a tiger, sweeping across thousands of miles. He roamed freely among hundreds of thousands of soldiers, and countless enemy heads were piled up like mounds of bones. With a single word, blood flowed like rivers.

In the hearts of the soldiers, Su Wu was a kind of faith. With Su Wu going into battle, the soldiers never thought about the possibility of failure. They always rushed to the front, knowing they couldn't lose even before the battle started, and already thinking about how to spend their reward money before the fight even began...

Yet here, they are so looked down upon.

Whose face is this?

"Lord Wang, I'm going back to set up camp!" Su Wu was furious, but he knew it wasn't that serious; this little trick was nothing...

Why get angry at a dead person?
Just as Su Wu was about to turn his head, a reply finally came from the city wall: "Is it the Prince of Yan in person?"

Su Wu raised his head: "It is I!"

"Do you know your crime?" Wang Fu demanded sharply, his voice so loud that he seemed afraid too few people would hear him.

"What crime?" Su Wu asked succinctly. He knew Wang Fu was about to make his point, so he quickly...

"You still don't know your crime? You are truly ashamed of the Emperor's great favor. You are indeed the one who defies the imperial decree and rebels, the one who corrupts the court, and the one who ruins the reputation of the Emperor and the court. You have committed many heinous crimes, yet you are unaware of them. Now the Emperor is furious, the court is indignant, and the world is in uproar. You are still so ignorant. You are a disloyal, unfilial, and unjust traitor. Surrender now!"

Wang Fu spoke eloquently, glancing around as he spoke. Seeing the shocked expressions on their faces, he felt a surge of satisfaction. He couldn't help but say, "Once you have power in your hands, you can issue orders."

Wang Bing, not far behind, was already shaking his head and sighing, rubbing his forehead...

Zhang Xiaochun's face was also all wrinkled up, even the bridge of her nose was wrinkled into the shape of the character "八" (eight).

Many of the Hebei generals who had just arrived yesterday did not look out of the city; they simply kept their heads down… When they met Wang Fu yesterday, they already knew what would happen today. They were shocked enough yesterday, and today they felt only helplessness…

Below the city walls, curses were already rising everywhere; which of the many generals was not furious?
"Wang Fu, you treacherous villain, how dare you frame my king!"

"You treacherous villain, you'll die a horrible death! Just wait until I find you, and I'll wipe out your entire lineage for eighteen generations!"

"Wang Fu!! I swear to kill your entire family!"

Wang Fu looked down and saw nothing but a powerless rage. With that high wall right in front of him, what was he talking about killing? Flying up?
That's true, but he can't fly. If he could, countless soldiers would have flown up to kill Wang Fu.

Su Wu merely raised his hand slightly to suppress the noise, and the order was obeyed, silencing the commotion. He then looked up and asked, "Lord Wang, is it true that if I, Su Wu, do not atone for my crime today and do not surrender, will tens of thousands of soldiers truly be unable to return home?"

Wang Fu smiled and nodded: "You are indeed clever. That is the truth. And let all the generals and soldiers know that this is your fault alone. As long as you are the one to atone for your crime, it will not affect others. Your past will be forgiven, your merits will remain, and you can all go home!"

Su Wu nodded: "Very well, very well, I'll listen to you. I'll go back and explain things to the soldiers, and then I'll come back to atone for my sins! This matter has nothing to do with the generals and soldiers; I was the only one leading the troops in this battle. Lord Wang, please don't make things difficult for others!"

Wang Fu was taken aback when he heard this. How could it have gone so smoothly?

Did they not put up any resistance at all?

Wang Fu originally thought that the stalemate would continue for some time, and that there might even be a fight. He believed that Su Wu would only confess and submit to the law when he had no other options and the army's food supplies were running out.

The surprise was wonderful, and Wang Fu immediately said, "Go quickly, and come down to the city alone!"

Su Wu turned and left. Wang Fu was overjoyed and ordered his men, "Quickly prepare a basket and ropes. Wait for Su Wu to come alone, hoist him up, tie him up, and keep a close watch on him!"

Among the crowd around him, including many military officers, none of them actually uttered the words of command, and their expressions were strange.

Just as Wang Fu turned his gaze elsewhere, a buzzing sound began to murmur among themselves.

"The Prince of Yan is truly righteous..."

"Yes, the name of the Prince of Yan has always been synonymous with righteousness and justice; how could he endure such humiliation!"

"I'm just afraid..."

"What are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid my generals won't be able to tolerate it..."

"What are you saying? When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head..."

"If you were under his command, could you tolerate it?"

These words were met with complete silence.
Little did they know, Wang Fu was looking around in fury: "What? No one has answered my command?"

Zhang Xiaochun quickly interjected, "My lord, please calm down. Military orders must be given by name. It's truly a matter of who should answer. I'll answer, I'll answer. The basket ropes are easy to handle, easy to handle..."

Wang Fu leaned back slightly and raised his head: "Get it done quickly! You'll be rewarded handsomely!"

From now on, Wang Fu will be second only to the emperor, and he even thinks that his power will be even greater than that of Cai Jing in the past. These people in front of him will have an inexhaustible future if Wang Fu just raises his little finger.

This Xiao Chun is not bad; he's definitely not a follower of Su Wu. Perhaps he can be given an important position in the future.

On this side of the city wall, preparations are underway...

Su Wu turned back and, as he was giving instructions, truly gave them: "Once the city walls open and you enter Datong, do not delay. Wu Yuhou still has a lot of money. Divide it among the various departments and hurry home. If you don't have enough food, buy more along the way. Do not delay. After you return home, live peacefully!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Yong sighed deeply and said in a low voice, "Alas... I'm afraid I won't be able to stay safe after returning home. The King has lost power, and the day when everyone settles scores with him is not far off!"

Many military officers were already furious.

"Your Majesty, let's not go through Datong!" said Liu Keshi.

"Your Majesty, let's change course and head east. How could we possibly not be able to get home?" Yao Pingzhong said. "Why change course? We're running low on supplies. Brother, if you ask me, let's build ladders and climb the wall. I'll go first. Today, let's just focus on killing that Wang Fu!" It was Lu Da who said.

“Yes, it’s best to kill Wang Fu!” Hua Rong added.

Su Wu looked around and said, "Do you really want to be traitors? How can the people of the world tolerate a rebel? If we do as you say today, whether we climb over the wall or take another path, won't we be traitors in the future? Think about your wives, children, and elderly parents at home. Think about the people of the world. Think about the future. Will you have a peaceful life when you go home? And think about me. I bear the name of a traitor, and my descendants will despise me for generations. This is not loyalty!"

"Your Majesty is so loyal and righteous that you have been bullied by such villains. Now that villains are in power and the world is no longer what it used to be, the loyal and righteous are at the mercy of others. How can you tolerate this?" Liu Zhengyan was so angry that his beard bristled.

“Yes, brother, you treat others with loyalty and righteousness, but they don’t treat you with loyalty and righteousness!” Lu Da gripped the hilt of his knife, making a hissing sound.

"We cannot tolerate this today!"

After much deliberation, Yao Pingzhong spoke again: "Perhaps... breaking through the city is acceptable. As for what the people will say in the future, countless witnesses have witnessed it today, and there will be public opinion. It would be better to kill that treacherous person to prevent future troubles. Perhaps it is because he has deceived the emperor to this extent that if we let him go back safely, he will truly become a traitor in the future, and there will be no way to clear his name. Wang Fu should be killed!"

"Absolutely! Absolutely! Wang Fu deserves to die!"

Yao Pingzhong continued, “If Your Majesty is to atone for your crimes this time, it is clear that you cannot protect us. Once Your Majesty loses your power, we will have no protection and will inevitably become meat on the chopping block in the future. Wang Fu is an extremely despicable person, how can we not be punished? If Your Majesty still has power, you can still protect us. But if Your Majesty loses your power, who can protect us?”

After these words were spoken, even Liu Keshi suddenly became conflicted. He had a father who was now the Vice Minister of the Privy Council, but he also knew that it was not a great power. Compared with the ministers, he was still just a peasant.

If Su Wu were here, he could protect them all; but if Su Wu were gone... if someone really wanted to take advantage of the Liu family, they would have no way to deal with it...

Liu Keshi spoke softly, "How about... we really kill Wang Fu first?"

It seemed that no one present doubted that the city was insurmountable; the only question was whether to climb it or not, and whether to resist so fiercely!
Seeing that Liu Keshi had changed his tune, Su Wu suddenly roared in anger: "Stop your clamor! You want to be traitors and rebel, but I will not! If we kill Wang Fu today, we will have no way to defend ourselves in the future. That will make things clear to you. I'm leaving now!"

With that, Su Wu spurred his horse and set off alone. The horse galloped forward at great speed, and he turned back to say, "No one is allowed to follow. This is a military order!"

The crowd was stunned for a moment, looking around. Some looked at Yao Pingzhong, some at Liu Keshi, and many others at Lu Da and Wu Yong.

Su Wu had already rushed out ahead.

On the city wall, Wang Fu was overjoyed: "They've come! They've come! The treacherous and rebellious villains have been brought to justice! Quickly, quickly, lower the basket down!"

It was still far, but Wang Fu spoke very quickly, as if he was afraid that when Su Wu arrived, the basket would not be lowered yet, and Su Wu might hesitate and change his mind!

But upon hearing this, who among them truly believed that Su Wu was a rebellious person? Let alone someone plotting treason!

If someone were truly a rebellious and treacherous person, how could they possibly come alone?
How can there still be such loyalty in the world? Such blind loyalty? To be willing to risk one's life?

These corrupt officials, how could they not kill people? What are soldiers in their eyes? They could even kill Di Qing, so if Su Wu really came like that, would he have any chance of survival?

It's all about whether you die with dignity or not...

Pity……

Such is the way of the world, unchanged from Di Qing to the present!
How could the soldiers not feel a pang of sympathy? They understood once again that in the Song Dynasty, soldiers were soldiers; they had to acknowledge it, submit, and be manipulated. Even the Prince of Yan, with his power, met such an end…

Oooh!
It's beyond human control! It's fate!
Over there, on the other side...

Everyone was already anxious. After realizing what was happening, Lu Da was the first to spur his horse and give chase, with shouts of "Quick, come with me and bring my brother back!"

Su Wu had already gone thirty or forty steps. After waiting for Lu Da to return for a few moments, Su Wu went another thirty or forty steps. Su Wu rode the Snow-Treading Black Steed, which was truly a fine horse.

As soon as Lu Da gave chase, all the surrounding soldiers spurred their horses and galloped after him. Su Wu was already at the very front, and his sudden departure was truly unexpected. Otherwise, how could Lu Da have let Su Wu's horse run away?

Wu Yong remained calm and even turned to look at Hu Cheng behind him. Hu Cheng, who was also anxious, hurriedly asked, "Lord Yu, is the time right?"

Wu Yong shook his head slightly: "No rush!"

Hu Cheng was extremely anxious: "If we don't hurry, the King will be at the foot of that city."

"Once the king has passed halfway, you lead your troops to pursue him!" Wu Yong said.

Although Hu Cheng was puzzled, he knew that this matter must be arranged, and there was a deeper meaning behind it.

After the army assembled, it was no longer a long, single line. Yang Chun's troops, who were second in rank, had already spread out to the flank. He was also very anxious at this time: "Why is Hu Cheng so incompetent!"

"Commander Yang? Shall we hurry and give chase?"

"Yes, if we don't go soon, His Majesty will truly fall into the hands of treacherous people!"

"Generals, would it be alright to pursue them further?"

Yang Chun asked a question, but he was also hesitant and worried. He hesitated because Lu Da and the others were already chasing after them, and he was worried that they might actually drag the king back.

Su Wu led the way, with Lu Da and the others following behind.

On the city wall, Wang Fu was also taken aback: "What's going on? Didn't we say he would come alone? Are all these people coming to atone for their crimes?"

Zhang Xiaochun's heart tightened as well. He thought differently from Wang Bing. He was helpless in the face of the court's situation, and even more helpless in the face of the emperor's situation.

But... Zhang Xiaochun had a bit more of a sense of luck than Wang Bing. He always felt that if there was really no solution to the current situation, there might be a solution to the future.

Su Wu, having surrendered himself to the authorities, would not be immediately killed. Instead, he would be escorted to the capital. People would be asked to take care of him on the way. Once in the capital, there would be reasonable people who would argue with Su Wu, and Su Wu himself could defend himself. Even Zhang Xiaochun would try his best to call on his friends to argue with Su Wu.

If he argues well, the emperor is wise, and perhaps Su Wu will be exonerated.

This is also a possible path.

Therefore, he did not truly offend Wang Fu. The fact that Su Wu surrendered today is clear proof that Su Wu had no ulterior motives and was unparalleled in loyalty and righteousness!
As everyone has witnessed, and Zhang Xiaochun himself testified, it should be known to the whole world that Su Wu was unparalleled in loyalty and righteousness!

But then Su Wu rushed out, followed by at least twenty or thirty riders. Zhang Xiaochun was also anxious and couldn't figure out what was going on...

Some speculated, "Lord Wang, perhaps those generals still want to help the Prince of Yan defend himself..."

"The disobedience and rebellion are undeniable, what else is there to argue about!" Wang Fu scoffed, but he was also worried. The basket had been lowered, but what if Su Wu really didn't come up?
Su Wu had already walked halfway, with two or three hundred paces still between him and the city. He could faintly hear someone shouting in the distance, "Brother, come back quickly! Don't fall for the villain's trick!"

"Your Majesty, please stop! Let us discuss this further!"

The words being called out became clearer and clearer.

Su Wu replied, "Don't come along. If you leave me alone, all my brothers will return home safely! Don't put me in an unjust situation!"

Perhaps it was an act, perhaps it was a petty act, lacking grandeur, but Su Wu still had to act, he had to act all the way to the city walls, he had to act for everyone to see... especially Zhang Xiaochun!
Actually, he didn't have to act, but Su Wu did his best. Acting actually cost little, just physical effort. If he acted well, he could gain more public opinion and more loyalty, thus avoiding a meaningless death!
They also put on a show for their own soldiers. These stories, told by the Japanese soldiers, were also heard by Yue Fei, who was far away in Beiting, and by Wu Jie, who was far away in Linhuang Prefecture.

This adds to their feelings of hesitation and helplessness!

Act!

Su Wu spurred his horse and galloped at full speed, already halfway there!
Suddenly, countless riders galloped up from the army. Hu Cheng had set off. Two or three thousand riders came running, shouting incessantly.

"Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty has returned!"

Upon seeing this, Yang Chun shouted, "Let's go, let's go, let's go and bring the King back!"

The cavalry also went, and the five battalions surged forward.

But looking up at the city wall, Wang Fu was not in a hurry, only angry. He looked around, then raised his hand and pointed forward: "Look, all of you, look! How many accomplices are there? Isn't this treason? Look with your own eyes, this is the evidence of treason!"

Everyone lowered their heads, avoiding eye contact with Wang Fu...

Wang Bing muttered to himself, "As expected... things are probably going to get chaotic..."

Wang Bing was puzzled, but also relieved. He was glad that Wang Fu had transferred his troops to the south of the city; otherwise, what would have happened?
Beside Wang Fu, only Zhang Xiaochun answered Wang Fu's words: "Prime Minister Wang, this is probably just the loyalty in the hearts of the soldiers. The fact that the Prince of Yan came alone is enough to prove his loyalty!"

"Nonsense! This is a faction within the army with ulterior motives! How could soldiers disobey the Prime Minister's orders? How could they disobey the Emperor's orders? If the Emperor wants to punish them, these soldiers dare to obstruct him. Isn't that utter disrespect and treason? It confirms their rebellion and treason!"

Wang Fu was thinking to himself, "Yes, it's like a pillow coming to my head when I'm sleepy. These soldiers are acting recklessly without regard for the overall situation. Wouldn't that just hand over more evidence to us?" He thought, "Let's see how Su Wu can defend himself then. The eyes of the world are discerning. How could they not see that Wang Fu has handled this great chaos and suppressed it properly?"

When we return and tell the Emperor, how could the Emperor not be terrified and praise Wang Fu for his outstanding talent and proper handling of the situation?
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiaochun was suddenly shocked. He looked up at Wang Fu and finally understood that the culprit behind such blatant lies was Wang Fu, who truly intended to kill Su Wu.

This is a conspiracy to frame loyal and virtuous people!

Zhang Xiaochun's hopes vanished, and he suddenly flew into a rage: "Wang Fu, why do you insist on doing this?"

Zhang Xiaochun harbored a sense of侥幸 (a sense of luck or chance), and was a Confucian scholar-official. However, he was also a loyal and courageous man who dared to die. Even when Taiyuan City was besieged for eight months and the emperor issued an edict ordering him to surrender the city, he was still the kind of person who would never retreat in a hundred battles.

He had already swallowed his anger and retreated more than enough, all he could think about was how to help Su Wu. As long as there was any way, he wanted to do it.

At this moment, he truly felt that he had nowhere to retreat, that he had no other choice, and that he could no longer tolerate it, so he flew into a rage!
Wang Fu turned around, looked at Zhang Xiaochun with a surprised expression, and asked, "Have you lost your mind?"

Zhang Xiaochun was no longer the submissive man he had been before; he straightened his back and asked in one sentence, "Why are you so determined to kill these meritorious people? You treacherous villain, have you already turned your back on everything?"

Wang Fu was somewhat confused. What was going on? They were serving each other so well just moments ago, and now they're throwing away their reputation? Their future?
Then Wang Fu said, "Indeed, you are an accomplice of Su Wu in his treason! Guards, seize him and take him to the capital for questioning!"

Wang Fu was speaking, but he didn't even look at Zhang Xiaochun. Why? The matter outside the city was more important. Su Wu's horse was really fast, and he had already arrived at the city. Su Wu, dressed in full armor, was reining in his horse!
Fifty or sixty paces behind, twenty or thirty riders also arrived. Wang Fu hurriedly called out, "Su Wu, quickly get on that hanging basket! In this way, tens of thousands of soldiers can go home!"

Su Wu then went to the hanging basket.

But look at that fast horse, it only took fifty or sixty steps in the blink of an eye to reach Lu Da. Without even reining in the horse, Lu Da had already dismounted. He staggered several times and couldn't stand properly, but he still kept rushing forward.

In an instant, he pounced on Su Wu, knocking Su Wu to the ground.

Su Wu shouted, "Lu Da, what are you doing! How can you really make me bear the name of disloyalty and injustice from now on?"

These words, once uttered, moved everyone atop the city wall! Even Zhang Xiaochun forgot to berate Wang Fu, and instead peeked out from behind the crenellations to watch…

Lu Da didn't answer, nor could he give any answer. He just looked around and saw soldiers rushing in one by one, completely surrounding Su Wu!

"Let me up!" Su Wu was still shouting.

Lu Da then urged Su Wu to stand up and said, "Today, no matter what, I will not let my brother fall into the hands of villains!"

"You've all ruined me! Get out of my way!" Su Wu shouted, pushing and shoving.

How could the crowd possibly move aside? They simply kept surrounding them.

Looking behind them, at least five or six thousand cavalrymen swarmed in and crowded under the city wall.

At this moment, Wu Yong also arrived and shouted, even deliberately raising his head to shout: "Your Majesty, if you go like this today, I'm afraid you will die at the hands of Wang Fu before you even reach Dongjing!"

On the city wall, Zhang Xiaochun was startled upon hearing this. He glanced at Wang Fu and suddenly shouted down to the city, "Your Highness, retreat! Retreat! Do not come any further! Let us reconsider! Let us reconsider!"

Even Su Wu was startled by these words. He looked up and wondered if Zhang Xiaochun had really said them.

But then they heard urgent shouts from the city wall: "Fire arrows! Fire arrows! Drive these traitors away!"

Who is shouting? It is none other than Wang Fu!
(Brothers, I didn't pay attention to the time, I've been writing non-stop and almost missed midnight today. At 11:59:30, I almost stopped updating...)
(End of this chapter)