Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 372 What should we do?
The army marched hastily, consisting of forty to fifty thousand Song cavalry, over twenty thousand nomadic cavalry, and an additional twenty to thirty thousand auxiliary troops. Behind the main force were many soldiers who had been disbanded in Datong, returning to their hometowns…

Many of the grassland men had broadened their horizons and were filled with curiosity, looking around everywhere along the way.

Su Wu had already left Hedong and entered Hebei Province when an urgent letter arrived in Dongping Prefecture.

Wu Song, who had already been sent back from Tokyo by the emperor, personally led 30,000 light and heavy infantrymen and more than 20,000 auxiliary soldiers to escort grain and supplies to the capital region!

Upon receiving the urgent message at the military headquarters, Wu Song immediately began issuing military orders. The entire Dongping Prefecture was suddenly thrown into a flurry of activity, with countless carts entering from the military camps outside the city and granaries opening everywhere within the city.

In Dongping Prefecture, everyone who could be alerted was alerted, and Zong Ze even personally rode to the military headquarters to find Wu Song.

Wu Song is issuing orders continuously, Dongping Prefecture is mobilizing all its resources, and detailed orders for the two routes in Jingdong will be sent to the various prefectures within a few days, as will the various prefectures in Yanyun...

This time, it's no joke; when a lion hunts a rabbit, it must use its full strength.

As Zong Ze entered, he asked from afar, "General Wu, where is this army headed?"

Wu Song saw Zong Ze enter and quickly stood up and bowed: "Brother has ordered that 30,000 infantrymen and 20,000 auxiliary soldiers be immediately dispatched to escort the grain supplies into the capital region!"

"This matter..." Zong Ze didn't need to say more, but he didn't ask it for the moment. So he asked, "What happened?"

The matter of Datong was already causing quite a stir in the capital, but in Dongping Prefecture, they were only hearing some uncertain rumors, such as that Su Wu and Wang Fu had fought in Datong...

Wu Song said nothing, but simply picked up a letter from the table: "Please take a look, Master Zong! Everything, big or small, is written here!"

Zong Ze quickly took it. It was an urgent letter from Su Wu, but not a secret one, so Zong Ze could obviously read it.

Zong Ze came to see it, and was immediately astonished. He had read everything in great detail. After quickly browsing through it, before he could even process what he had seen, he asked, "Such a large army entering the capital, I'm afraid it will terrify the whole world!"

Wu Song lowered his head and continued issuing military orders, one after another, making sure everything was clear: when and where to assemble, what to bring...

He simply said, "I don't know either, but whatever the order is, just do as it's given!"

"This seems to lack some consideration... Perhaps we should take a longer approach..." Zong Ze couldn't tell what was right and wrong for the moment, but he knew that doing it this way was really against the rules.

Wu Song kept writing and drawing, one sheet after another, while replying, "I don't know either. Old sir, please go and ask my brother what he thinks and what he plans. Military orders are like mountains, and we cannot delay!"

"Then...where is the Prince of Yan?" Zong Ze really had no news.

Wu Song just shook his head: "I don't know either. Xu is still in Hedong, or he has already arrived in Hebei!"

"Then... this army entering the capital... this is inappropriate! It's suspicious!" Zong Ze was pacing back and forth. He knew that Su Wu was escorting Wang Fu to Tokyo to defend himself, and he also knew that Su Wu was definitely innocent. Now he also knew that the people in the capital believed that Su Wu was guilty...

This is a complete mess!

But Wu Song said, "Old sir, what you say may not be true. Last time, didn't we lead our troops into the capital in the same way and even win the merit of saving the emperor? I also served the emperor for a long time. The emperor appointed me as the commander-in-chief of the two armies in the capital and gave me gold to return. What a great achievement that was!"

“That time is different from this time!” Zong Ze understood perfectly well…

"What's different? What my brother does is never wrong. Where is he wrong? Everything he does is right!"

As he spoke, Wu Song looked up at Zong Ze and said, "Old husband, what are you worried about? What in this world can my brother not handle? Don't worry, just wait for news at home!"

"Sigh..." Zong Ze sighed helplessly. The court, the regulations, everything was different now; everything was strange...

In the past, how could troops be mobilized in such a way? Without an order from the Privy Council or a tiger tally, how could troops be mobilized from the prefecture?

Things are truly different now...

This is never a good thing, but sometimes, it can actually lead to something good...

Seeing Wu Song so busy, Zong Ze was at a loss and could only sit down at a table to the side, saying, "General Wu, I'll also write a letter. Take it with you and make sure to deliver it to the Prince of Yan in person!"

"Okay, sure!" Wu Song replied succinctly.

"Sigh..." Zong Ze sat down and actually began writing a letter, but he didn't know how to start...

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, he began to write, and once he started, he couldn't stop. He even ran out of paper and had to call the scribe to bring more...

Wu Song had already stood up and asked, "Old sir, haven't you finished writing yet?"

Zong Ze looked up at Wu Song, then down at his stack of letters: "Alright, alright, that's all for now. There's just too much to say..."

Wu Song nodded and urged again, "Old man, hurry up and pack it up, I'm leaving now!"

Zong Ze also wrote the last few words: "There are many things to say, but they cannot be fully expressed. Your Majesty, please think it over thrice, please think it over thrice, and act only after careful consideration!"

After signing and folding it, Wu Song picked it up, tucked it into his chest, and strode out the door. He happened to run into Li Hang, who had come to the yamen to inquire about news.

The two exchanged a greeting, and Wu Song went to the hitching post to untie his horse while chatting casually with Li Hang.

Li Hang also asked, "General, what happened?"

Wu Song then said, "It's hard to explain in a short time, but anyway, my brother instructed someone to frame me. He's framing a loyal and virtuous man, and I'm going to the capital to defend myself!"

"Huh? There's really fighting in Datong?" Li Hang asked again.

"A fight broke out! But who is Wang Fu? He was captured on the spot by my brother. I can't explain it clearly right now. Here, take a look for yourself!" Wu Song handed the urgent letter to Li Hang again.

After delivering the letter, Wu Song rode off without taking it back.

Li Hang was left standing at the door, opening the letter to read it. He was stunned for a moment, his heart filled with turmoil.

At the door, Zong Ze came out again. Seeing Li Hang reading a letter, he said to him, "You should also write a letter to the Prince of Yan. Think things through carefully!"

Li Hang bowed to Zong Ze and said, "I should hurry back and discuss this with my elder sister!"

As he spoke, Li Hang ran quickly. He sensed that something big was about to happen. He didn't know exactly what it was, but it was definitely something turbulent and unpredictable.

I should hurry home!
Zong Ze was far from at peace. Standing at the entrance of the General Military Commander's Office, he looked around several times before getting up and heading towards Su Wu's residence to find Su Wu's wife, Cheng.

The only thing to worry about is that Su Wu might get carried away and lose control of the situation. We'll have to persuade him eventually, and the more people who can persuade him, the more at ease we'll feel.

The entrance to Su Wu's residence was also crowded with people coming and going. Some were there to gather information, while others were people sent out by the residence to gather intelligence...

When Zong Ze arrived, he simply went inside, where Cheng Xiaoniang was already waiting to greet him in the main hall.

Zong Ze first asked a few pleasantries about how the child was doing, and Cheng Xiaoniang simply replied that he was fine. Su Wu's son was already four months old and was born in Yanjing City. When Su Wu went to war, he learned of the news, named the child, but never saw him.

After exchanging pleasantries, Zong Ze began to recount the events, starting with Su Wu's affair with the court, then moving on to the matter of disobeying the imperial decree, the affair with Wang Fu, and finally the fight...

Cheng Xiaoniang listened with a mixture of furrowed and relaxed brows, but remained silent and offered no comment...

After Zong Ze finished speaking, he added, "Your Highness should quickly write to the Prince of Yan. Think it over carefully, think it over carefully..."

Cheng Xiaoniang only replied, "My husband's affairs are a man's business. As a woman, I truly do not know or understand, and it is not appropriate for me to say more..."

“This…” Zong Ze was somewhat surprised.

But then Cheng Xiaoniang said, "My husband has many advisors and subordinates by his side, as well as many ministers and generals from the Northwest, all of whom are exceptionally talented. Even your son is by your side and is a man of both literary and martial prowess. With so many people helping you, you can certainly think things through and everything will be peaceful!"

Hearing this, Zong Ze seemed somewhat relieved. Indeed, he was familiar with most of the people around Su Wu, and they were all exceptionally talented individuals. It was unlikely that Su Wu would do anything that would be difficult to resolve...

And his own son was there too...

Furthermore, there were also many military generals in the Northwest...

Then Cheng Xiaoniang said, "My lord, I am but a woman and have no experience, but my father is in the capital, as is Prime Minister Liu, and my brother is in the army. They all understand the importance and urgency of matters, so everything is stable!"

Zong Ze looked at Cheng Xiaoniang with a gratified expression: "The Princess Consort is quite remarkable. With just a few words, she has put my mind at ease..."

Cheng Xiaoniang smiled slightly: "These are just the words of a woman with little knowledge. I only know that no matter what important matters are for men, they are never the responsibility of one person alone, but the responsibility of the whole group. My husband has never been a stubborn person, so I have no worries and my husband can rest assured!"

"Okay..." Zong Ze nodded, smiling slightly, "Then I'll head back, haha..."

"See the old gentleman off!" Cheng Xiaoniang said, stepping forward.

"Wait, Your Highness, please wait!" Zong Ze bowed slightly and then quickly left.

But as soon as Zong Ze left, Cheng Xiaoniang's face suddenly turned worried again. Two people walked in from the side room. One was Meng Yulou, and the other was Hu Yuru, also known as Hu Sanniang.

The two of them each held a child in their arms: their daughter, Su Xuanniang, who was over a year old, and their son, Su Kai, who was over four months old.

Both of them looked worried. Hu Sanniang asked, "I wonder how serious or minor this matter is for you, sir..."

Cheng Xiaoniang said in one sentence: "There is no need to worry. With so many talented people, they will handle everything properly!"

"Hmm..." Hu Sanniang murmured softly.

"Alright, alright... In that case, let's prepare some invitations at home and invite all the talented scholars from Jingdong to the poetry gathering in Dongping Prefecture the day after tomorrow! We should also personally visit and invite Yi'an Jushi!"

What is Cheng Xiaoniang doing? She's winning over the hearts of the people in Anjing.

"Alright!" Meng Yulou and Hu Sanniang both nodded, ready to get busy. They needed to prepare paper and colored paper, find someone with neat handwriting, and also prepare a list in advance. They also needed to prepare a banquet, wine, and all sorts of other things. The workload was considerable.

The Li family mansion over there.

Li Hang was extremely anxious: "Sister, this... I don't understand at all, what's going on?" Sister Li was also completely bewildered; she had read the letter clearly, but still couldn't understand the situation...

She took a deep breath, exhaled heavily, and murmured to herself, "I just received a letter from the Prince of Yan defending himself. Every point he made was reasonable. I circulated the letter to many people, including scholars and great Confucianists, and they all said it made sense. How could the court do this? How could Wang Fu do this?"

“Sister, didn’t I just say so? He’s a treacherous villain, Wang Fu is a treacherous villain, with a silver tongue, sowing discord and framing loyal officials!” Li Hang said, pointing to the letter.

"So... is this a good thing or a bad thing?" Sister Li asked.

Li Hang was completely bewildered and shook his head, replying, "I...I don't know either!"

"Are you a man or am I a man?" Sister Li retorted with a sharp retort.

"Sister, what kind of talk is that?" Li Hang was also angry.

"Then you should think it over carefully and speak properly. These are all men's matters!"

"Sister, you are just as capable as any man, a true heroine, you tell me..."

Sister Li, suddenly angered, stood up: "Then I won't say anything more. Let's go outside and do what we did before, let those scholars see, let those great Confucian scholars see, and let's see what really happens..."

"Alright, alright..." Li Hang nodded and hurried forward to arrange the carriage, as his sister was going out to visit someone.

The person I visited is a renowned scholar and scholar from JD.com!

The people of Jingdong were unaware that the Emperor had been frightened into fleeing to Jinghu. He had taken with him two main figures, Cheng Wanli and Qin Hui, along with many officials from the Secretariat and the Chancellery, and also a considerable number of officials from the Privy Council…

This was the second time many people had fled the capital with the emperor.

The army he led was still the Jiesheng Army, which Tong Guan had temporarily assembled before. The commander of the Jiesheng Army was named Zhang Shizheng, a military officer from Shanzhou.

The group hurriedly headed towards Jinghu, their first destination being Hanyang Army, which guarded the strategic location between the Han River and the Yangtze River.

Actually, this is the waterway through which the Northwest Army came via Hanzhong. They were waiting for the various Northwest armies here.

Furthermore, crossing the river leads to important towns such as Jiangxia and Ezhou. If one goes up the Han River, one reaches Xiangyang, an even more important and fortified city. This place is naturally the best place to observe, as it offers both offensive and defensive advantages.

Furthermore, this place is well-connected, with easy access to the north and south routes of Jinghu, and even to Hanzhong, making the allocation of money, grain, and manpower extremely convenient.

Before the emperor arrived, he himself had a fast horse to go ahead and inform the officials of Jinghu of the emperor's departure.

Furthermore, there were imperial edicts ordering the allocation of troops. The Han River was of paramount importance. Regardless of whether they were imperial guards, local militia, or village braves, they were instructed to gather in cities along the Han River. In Jinghu South Road, they were to gather in Ezhou and Jiangxia.

As for the prefectures and counties near Hanyang Army, they naturally went to Hanyang Army to gather troops.

The imperial edict was just that—an imperial edict—and it was sent out everywhere.

Money and grain are all unavailable for the time being. As for how to allocate logistics and how to recruit auxiliary soldiers and civilians, that will also be arranged. Just make sure that all the prefects, magistrates and county magistrates can do what they can and keep sending them!
Anyway, things need to be done well.

This land of Jinghu is a land of plenty, with plenty of money and grain. Now that the people are loyal to the king, all you need to do is be loyal to the country!
The emperor didn't have time to discuss these matters in detail with his many ministers. Although the matter seemed insignificant, it was actually quite complicated.

The allocation of laborers and funds involves the population, output, and tax revenue of each prefecture...

Only in this way can tasks be allocated and arranged according to the data, because if you're in a hurry, there won't be enough time...

Perhaps they would wait until they arrived at the destination, and the emperor would meet with the officials of Jinghu before discussing the matter in detail. For now, they should just focus on getting as much as they could...

The emperor is walking.

In the north, Su Wu's army was already entering the capital region.

The Crown Prince Zhao Kai, who was overseeing the state, was also worried and went to the city to see if there were any troops in the capital region.

Of course, there are. The Imperial Guards in the capital region number at least 80,000 to 90,000, and the various government offices in the capital also have 20,000 to 30,000 clerks.

In addition, the Imperial City Guard, which Zhao Kai had always been in charge of, also had several thousand people.

At this moment, on the city defenses, quite a few people had been transferred here and there, and many had taken up positions on the city walls.

The newly appointed Crown Prince Zhao Kai stood atop the city wall, gazing northward into the distance, with Vice Chancellor Liu Yanqing beside him.

Zhao Kai also asked, "Prime Minister Liu, is this truly a plot to rebel?"

Liu Yanqing put his hands behind his back, clicked his tongue twice, and replied, "Perhaps not, perhaps not..."

"What does the Grand Chancellor mean by this?" Zhao Kai asked anxiously. He was naturally flustered at being left to oversee the country in Tokyo.

Liu Yanqing actually replied, "If handled well, it won't be considered treason; if handled poorly, it could lead to a mutiny in the army, which would make it appear as treason even if it wasn't initially a treasonous act..."

Zhao Kai hurriedly asked, "Then...then how can this be handled properly? Grand Chancellor, please teach me!"

Liu Yanqing didn't rush to speak. Instead, he looked Zhao Kai up and down, but carefully examined his face, trying to see through him.

He was actually quite insightful; a refined and elegant scholar!
Liu Yanqing then said, "Then may I truly answer?"

"The Chancellor has taught me!" Zhao Kai bowed respectfully.

"Then let me speak. Just say that... Wang Fu, a treacherous villain, is definitely a fickle person. At this moment, he has probably already pushed all the blame onto the Emperor. If he pushes it away, won't the whole army be shocked? The soldiers may not be able to find a way to survive, and they may really mutini!"

Liu Yanqing may not understand other things, but he understands soldiers! He understands those arrogant and fierce generals.

"Then if we just get Wang Fu to take responsibility, then..." Zhao Kai wasn't stupid; his logic was crystal clear.

Liu Yanqing shook his head: "I'm afraid... Wang Fu can't do it!"

"Why?" Zhao Kai asked anxiously.

“Because… he’s afraid of dying!” Liu Yanqing said firmly.

"How do you know?" Zhao Kai asked again.

"When the Jurchens besieged the city, he ran faster than anyone else!"

Zhao Kai quickly thought about it and realized it was true. He asked anxiously, "Then... what should we do?"

Liu Yanqing immediately asked, "Does Your Highness have..."

"What?" Zhao Kai asked.

“Your Highness… is now the Crown Prince… and this place is Tokyo, home to the Three Provinces, Six Ministries, Two Prefectures, Three Offices, and all sorts of government offices!” Liu Yanqing said.

Zhao Kai was greatly surprised upon hearing this: "What does this mean?"

Liu Yanqing remained silent; he knew that Zhao Kai was very clever.

What else could it mean? The crown prince has declared himself emperor, the late emperor has repented, and the new emperor has appeased the army. Everything can be resolved. Regardless of Su Wu's true feelings, at least nominally he can't lash out.

Liu Yanqing clearly did not want the world to descend into chaos and become a complete mess!

Zhao Kai clearly understood, but he was already filled with fear and trembling. Liu Yanqing was still staring at him, so he quickly said again, "Prime Minister, you mustn't, you mustn't! How could I do such an unfaithful and unfilial thing? You mustn't!"

Liu Yanqing's eyes showed a hint of disappointment as he shook his head and sighed, "Your Highness is loyal and filial!"

"I must never say such a thing again! How could I act like the deposed crown prince? How could I end up like that? Wouldn't I become a laughingstock to the world? Wouldn't I be infamous for all eternity? No, no, I must never say it again!"

Zhao Kai kept waving his hand.

"It is my fault, Your Highness, I spoke nonsense for a moment, please forgive me!" Liu Yanqing bowed deeply.

"Is there any other brilliant plan?" Zhao Kai asked again.

Liu Yanqing slightly raised his eyes to look north. They've arrived...

The banners were already arriving like clouds, and it wouldn't be long before they covered the sky and blocked out the sun on the vast, boundless plains to the north.

Liu Yanqing said softly, "They've really come..."

Zhao Kai quickly turned to look north and blurted out, "What should we do?"

"Your Highness, do not worry, Your Highness is safe and sound!" Liu Yanqing said confidently.

"What should I do if the soldiers mutini?" Fear arose in Zhao Kai's heart.

"Sigh..." Liu Yanqing looked around, observing the soldiers on the city wall, clad in iron armor, carrying bows and crossbows, their spears sharp and menacing...

But on every single face, there was a blank, dazed look...

Liu Yanqing did not speak.

Zhao Kai hurriedly said, "Prime Minister, this matter of city defense can be dealt with by you. You will surely be able to turn the danger into safety and handle this matter!"

"Your humble servant obeys the decree!" Liu Yanqing bowed respectfully.

(End of this chapter)