Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 375 Look at this world still in turmoil, whose fault is it?

Sometimes, reading a lot of books really does have its benefits. For example, right now, in the Privy Council's office, most people probably have "The Lament of the Qin Woman" on their minds...

The so-called "Three Wonders of Yuefu" are: people a thousand years later, most know "The Peacock Flies Southeast" and "The Ballad of Mulan", but few know "The Ballad of the Qin Woman".

It still speaks of the day when the streets were trampled with the bones of high-ranking officials; the tragic scene described in the poems is indescribable…

Therefore, all eyes suddenly turned to Su Wu, and for a moment, panic arose in their eyes. Perhaps they just wanted to ask Su Wu one question: could he control those peasant soldiers?
Su Wu looked around under everyone's gaze, then turned to Rongguo Gong Qian Chen and said, "Tens of thousands of elite troops fought the Jurchens and suffered heavy casualties. They are returning home in sorrow, but they cannot go home under the walls of Datong and are burdened with the crime of treason. At least they should be given some explanation. Other than that, it doesn't matter. At least they should be able to return home without any worries, so that they can't be settled with any more trouble later..."

Qian Chen nodded and said, "Of course, of course, this is the right thing to do!"

Then, Qian Chen looked at the crowd and sighed, "You all, you've talked about the Emperor and the Prince of Yan, but now you all know that no matter what the Emperor or the Prince of Yan is like, they are ultimately no match for the tens of thousands of tigers and wolves inside and outside Bianjing..."

After saying this, Qian Chen glanced at everyone and continued, "Most of you are not fools. You must have thought a lot about what happened today. Take the Prince of Yan's arrival in the capital, for example. He neither donned the yellow robe, nor stepped into the palace, nor allowed his troops to cause chaos. You can see how much effort the Prince of Yan put in. If there is no explanation, I'm afraid there will be more chaos in the future..."

There are many things and many things that others dare not say, but Qian Chen certainly dares to say them, even those given his status...

Su Wu was actually quite surprised. He had a purpose today, which was not difficult to achieve; he could achieve it simply by asking.

But he never expected things to turn out this way...

Su Wu had actually made many preparations. For example, in this courtroom today, someone would stand up and angrily rebuke him, calling him a traitor and a national villain...

I imagine that today, many people would argue with him about the rights and wrongs of those details...

They didn't encounter any of them.

From the Northern Song Dynasty to the present, more than 160 years have passed, and scholars have been nurtured for more than 160 years. Su Wu himself did not know how to describe these scholars...

It is also said that when the Northern Song Dynasty fell, scholars fled, some knelt and begged for mercy, and others were bound together with ropes and taken north to be enslaved, along with their wives and daughters…

It's also said that when the Northern Song Dynasty fell, how could the emperor have believed that a deity could defeat the Jurchens by scattering beans to create soldiers? And yet, the entire court actually allowed this to happen...

Countless times they negotiated and begged with the Jurchens, and there were even instances where two emperors were taken away as hostages...

Looking at the full house, Su Wu seemed momentarily dazed. In that daze, he realized that he, Su Wu, had already led his troops into Bianjing, and the scholars could still sit down and tell him that the scenarios he had previously anticipated were completely nonexistent...

Historically, they also negotiated with the Jurchens in this way, and then sent their two emperors out as hostages!
Su Wu had actually anticipated some things, which was why he acted this way, but he never expected that today's scene would be so harmonious and smooth.

Then the prodigal prime minister Li Bangyan spoke up: "Duke, you are right. So how can we ensure that those soldiers can return home safely?"

Qian Chen looked at Su Wu; he genuinely wanted to resolve the matter, and thus truly saw the crux of it.

Then he spoke up: "Let's go to Jinghu together, persuade the emperor to come back, and issue an edict of self-reproach to show the world... What do you all think?"

"Didn't I say before that the Emperor is currently gathering troops, and he can certainly gather a large number of them? How could he possibly approve of such a method?"

"Yes, the Emperor is going out of the city to gather troops for battle!"

"I'm afraid we can't persuade them to come back!"

Qian Chen angrily rebuked, "Do you really want to see yourselves fighting amongst yourselves? Do you really want this peaceful country to be turned into a wasteland?"

"That's not what I meant. I just mean that I'm afraid the Duke's method won't work!"

"Yes... Our emperor... can only listen to what is agreeable, and cannot tolerate dissenting opinions! If we were to report such a thing, we would surely be enraged on the spot, and we would become prisoners!"

Qian Chen understood perfectly well. He looked at Su Wu again and said, "Then let the Prince of Yan lead his troops to go with us. First, we can transfer the main army from Dongjing to Jinghu. In this way, your families and relatives can get a few more days of peace and quiet."

With just those words, the furrowed brows of many in the room immediately relaxed considerably. Su Wu had never threatened them, but they seemed genuinely afraid from the bottom of their hearts…

What I'm afraid of is soldiers causing trouble!

Qian Chen continued, "Secondly... secondly, our Emperor has been corrupted by you people. You've always flattered and coaxed him, which is why he's become increasingly eccentric and won't listen to dissenting opinions. This time, with the Prince of Yan's army going along, the soldiers will be easier to control. Will the two armies really clash? Let's see what the generals say, and what we say, so that the Emperor will understand that the affairs of the world belong to all people, not just to him alone!"

Upon hearing this, everyone remained silent.

Qian Chen knew the character of these people, so he went to Su Wu and asked, "What does the King of Yan think?"

Su Wu was actually smiling inside. Looking at Qian Chen now, he felt that Qian Chen was handsome and really likable.

Given the current situation, Su Wu has only two objectives.

First, control the powerful families and high-ranking officials in the capital. It would be best to control them through words and actions, but if that's not possible, then take a firmer approach. In any case, control them.

Secondly, the advance into Jinghu to fight Emperor Zhao Ji must be witnessed by everyone. It doesn't have to be perfectly legitimate, but at the very least, it must be a settled fact that everyone has no choice but to accept on the spot.

In this way, Su Wu will have far fewer troubles!
As for the old and new forces, the old and new interests, these people in front of us are like frogs in slowly boiling water, just waiting to be boiled.

What did the King of Yan think? He got up and paced back and forth a few times, and everyone's eyes followed Su Wu.

After Su Wu pondered for a long time, he said, "If we are going, all of you should go together. The chief official of each government office should go, and the Duke should also go. In addition, the heads of many prominent families in Dongjing should also go. Only when we go together will I feel at ease!"

These words were originally intended to pressure those present, but unexpectedly, they now sounded like a last resort for Su Wu.

Qian Chen said, "Alright, it's a deal then!"

Although Qian Chen held no official position with real power, at this moment, he seemed to represent all the officials present.

Therefore, most people remained silent...

In fact, many things, which seem complicated, are actually simple. Where are there so many choices and decisions?

The current situation is either war and chaos or the emperor's self-reproach.

As in history, when the Jurchens besieged a city, they would either attack the city or send the two emperors to be held hostage.

What choice would those present today make? They would send the emperor to the Jurchens as a hostage.

Does the emperor himself want to be a hostage?

How could it not be that these people present coaxed and forced him?

Today is just a different story; the weakness of the literati has reached its greatest point in history!

It's inevitable that Su Wu's situation is already simmering in lukewarm water...

Weakness is a form of wishful thinking. These people are all hoping for the best. They only see the Prince of Yan in front of them, who seems to have no intention of usurping the throne. The emperor has returned, he has issued an edict of self-reproach, and the country will be at peace. We can continue to live the good life we ​​had in the past!

It's similar to the two sieges by the Jurchens in history, where hostages were demanded one by one, from princes to emperors to retired emperors. Why were they all given away?

It was still a matter of luck. As long as the Jurchens were satisfied—with money, food, women, princes, emperors, and retired emperors—the Jurchens would be filthy rich and content, and then they would return home. Life in Bianjing would continue as usual…

Su Wu only wanted to test the water temperature today...

Su Wu said succinctly, "Then everyone may disperse and return to prepare. Tomorrow, the army will set off for Jinghu to welcome the Emperor!"

Qian Chen also said, "Since it's settled, let's disperse. Tomorrow, everyone should prepare their carriages and horses to accompany the army to Jinghu. I will also go home to prepare..."

The crowd remained silent, simply waiting for those outside to leave first, followed by those inside...

Su Wu also had other matters to attend to. There was a group of Jurchen envoys in Bianjing City, who had already been surrounded by soldiers and were to leave tomorrow. He needed to think about how to deal with them today.

After everyone had dispersed, Wu Yong returned, and the two discussed the matter several times.

Killing him wouldn't be good either, after all, he was truly an envoy of the two armies at war, and he was truly from the Celestial Empire. How could we let the Jurchens kill an envoy of the Celestial Empire?

There are also Dali, Qiangtang, Tubo tribes, Goryeo, Japan, Ryukyu, Jiaozhi... which aren't very interesting either...

The historical records are also unpleasant...

If we don't kill them, the Jurchens are probably still unaware of the internal strife in the Song Dynasty, and the news won't spread so quickly. But if we release them, the news will likely spread much faster, and the Jurchens might really go all in...

At this point, there's really only one solution: lock them up and see what happens.

Su Wu, however, suddenly became interested and said, "Bring that woman here so I can see her..."

Wu Yong then took care of it.

But then they heard shouts and commotion outside the Privy Council gate. Su Wu asked, "What's going on?"

Someone then replied, "Your Majesty, it is a group of Imperial Academy students who insist on seeing Your Majesty!"

Su Wu frowned immediately. Who else could it be? Could it be Chen Dong? Should he avoid him, or should he meet him?

After a moment's hesitation, Su Wu waved his hand and said, "If there's someone named Chen Dong, let him in. The rest of you, wait outside!"

Chen Dong is a young man of unwavering integrity and strong character! Actually, he's quite troublesome…

A soldier went outside and called out, "Is there anyone named Chen Dong? The King said that Chen Dong can be seen. The others should wait."

Sure enough, Chen Dong was there, raising his hand and saying, "I am Chen Dong, I am Chen Dong!"

"Come with me!" the soldier waved his hand.

Chen Dong followed, then turned back and said, "Please wait a moment, gentlemen. I will argue with the Prince of Yan on reason!"

At least seventeen or eighteen students from the Imperial Academy stood at the entrance, all bowing to Chen Dong and saying, "We're counting on you, Brother Chen!"

Chen Dong walked with firm steps, and upon entering the yamen, he indeed saw Su Wu in person; the two actually knew each other.

Chen Dong stepped forward and bowed: "Greetings, Your Highness Prince Yan!"

“Sit there and say whatever you want to say!” Su Wu raised his hand.

Chen Dong didn't sit down, but stood up straight and spoke: "The sage said..."

Su Wu interrupted him directly: "There's no need to start from the beginning, just tell me why you've come!"

Chen Dong was taken aback for a moment, and then reorganized his words: "Then ask the Prince of Yan, what is your intention in leading your army into the capital this time? Is it disloyalty and injustice?"

Wu Yong, who was standing nearby, was about to explode and took a step forward.

Su Wu raised his hand to stop him: "It's alright, that's an excellent question. Now, I'll have you, Chen Dong, devise a plan for me, and you can devise one. Tell me, what should I do about the current situation? Well said, and reasonable, I'll do as you say!"

Su Wu understood these passionate young people very well. They were capable of boasting and even of sacrificing their lives for righteousness.

However, this type of person, many people, can raise questions, a hundred questions, ten thousand questions, but they cannot come up with solutions, or rather, the solutions they do come up with are mostly very naive.

To deal with these kinds of people, you have to play a game of chess with them.

But Su Wu did not look down on Chen Dong at all, because Su Wu knew that every young person would gradually grow and mature. Anyone who had the courage to sacrifice their life for righteousness was worthy of respect. If they remained courageous after maturing, they would be a pillar of the nation.

Chen Dongzi was still asking, "Is what the Prince of Yan said true?"

Su Wu nodded: "Today, during our discussion at the Privy Council, I learned that there is no room for frivolous talk in the army. I also know that you spoke fairly for me before, and I am very clear about all matters. You will make the plans..."

Chen Dong immediately nodded: "Good, the first step should be to withdraw the troops and let each tribe return to their hometowns, awaiting the decision of the court and the emperor. Only in this way can we be a model of loyalty and righteousness!"

Su Wu nodded: "Easy. Tomorrow I will withdraw my troops, and then all the generals and soldiers will come to ask me why I am withdrawing. Are they all traitors? Are they all going to die without a burial place? How should I answer them?"

Chen Dong was taken aback upon hearing this, and only said one sentence: "The Prince of Yan is the commander-in-chief of the six armies. His orders are strictly enforced in the army. Since these are the orders of the Prince of Yan, how can we disobey them?"

"Yes, tens of thousands of elite troops, elites who fought their way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Do you think I would make them all obey me if I ordered them to kneel and wait to die? They are human beings, just like you!"

Su Wu spoke earnestly.

Chen Dong had many thoughts in his mind, and immediately added, "We should educate them, and let us, the students of the Imperial Academy, go to the army to speak to them on their behalf, and do a good job of speaking to them..."

"Why didn't you go before? There are two or three hundred thousand troops around the capital. Why didn't you go before? Why do you think that if you go now, they will listen to you..." Su Wu asked.

At this moment, Chen Dong felt a strange sense of shame, but still asked, "Why does the Prince of Yan think they won't listen to me?"

Su Wu smiled and said, "Alright, go now. Here's a document; you can go to any of them. Let's see how you persuade the generals and soldiers. If you succeed, then come back to see me. How about that?"

Chen Dong nodded abruptly: "Okay, it's a deal!"

"It's a deal!" Su Wu nodded and then went to tell Wu Yong, "Give him a token and a document, and he can go to any military camp, inside or outside the city, before tomorrow!"

Wu Yong pursed his lips and went to do his work.

Chen Dong took the things and left excitedly, still confident that reason would prevail.

Su Wu didn't argue with him, but Wu Yong did. He stood beside Su Wu and asked, "Why does Your Majesty waste your breath on such a young scholar..."

Su Wu replied, “From a public perspective, he has studied for many years and possesses integrity. I hope he will truly become a pillar of the nation in the future, rather than die a tragic death. From a private perspective, he has helped me in the past and has recently spoken out for me fairly. In terms of human relationships, I cannot treat him coldly.”

Wu Yong didn't dwell on it, but said, "Does he really intend to go to the army and talk to the soldiers about the ways of the sages, loyalty, filial piety, propriety, and righteousness?"

"Chen Dong, originally from a poor and declining family, should understand some of the hardships of life, and should also know that the world does not belong entirely to scholars..."

Su Wu's words were immediately followed by a writing order, which was also a military command. The next day, they would set off for Jinghu, with Xiangyang as their first stop.

The only things the emperor could rely on were the northwest and Hanzhong. The Han River was very important; if Xiangyang fell, the northwest and Hanzhong would be cut off, but that was secondary.

By controlling the vital waterway of the Han River, supplies and military marches could easily proceed down the river, thus opening the gateway to Jinghu.

The emperor is downstream; it doesn't matter where he goes, unless he goes deep into the mountains and forests.

This was the strategy used by the Mongols to conquer the Southern Song Dynasty in history, and it was also a strategy that previous dynasties had used countless times.

Moreover, the journey from Tokyo to Xiangyang is very short, only 800 li, and the road is easy to travel, a smooth thoroughfare.

There were still many secret messages to send. The first to be sent was not to Jingdong and Yanyun, but to Wang Xun, the King of Liangzhe South. As the son of Wang Bing, the General Commander of the Liangzhe Army, Wang Xun must have also received the imperial edict to gather troops at this time.

Su Wu's letter told him not to rush there, but to take his time, and also to tell Wang Xun about what was happening in the capital.

Thinking of the Northwest again, Su Wu stopped believing it. After the old man from the Zhong family transferred his family members from Su Wu's army that day, Su Wu knew perfectly well that the old man wanted his reputation, so he gave it to him.

But what if the old master wanted to die for his principles? Su Wu would certainly not allow it...

I've already sent several letters to Yan Yun, and I still need to go. I need to mobilize troops and manpower to guard against the Jurchens. I also need to send a letter to Jingdong to mobilize food and supplies, and to keep in constant communication with Yan Yun. If the Jurchens invade the border, I need to provide support to Yan Yun at any time.

These things and these words are meant to keep many people in check, such as Zong Ze and Zhang Shuye. It is also to tell them about the Privy Council's discussions today, to first settle their minds, and then to give them countless tasks to do.

The Yan-Yun affair, with the Jurchens taking advantage of the chaos to invade the border, is a matter of utmost importance, and Zong Ze and others will naturally be worried.

Wang Bing should also hurry back to Datong and defend the city well.

There are still many things to do in the Privy Council, such as accommodating the Imperial Guards who will be returning from Datong in succession, and even ensuring their rations for the journey.

If Su Wu doesn't worry, then no one will. The Song Dynasty is likely to descend into chaos. We can't let the imperial guards in the capital region turn into bandits halfway through their journeys...

This country is in complete disarray, everything is going wrong.

Su Wu also realized that he might really be a sucker who took over a bad situation. If he did take over, the first thing he had to do was to make sure that everything in the country was running smoothly...

This is truly a massive undertaking; even Su Wu hesitated to attempt it just thinking about it…

In the dead of night, Su Wu was still busy, but Chen Dong returned. After announcing his arrival, Chen Dong entered Su Wu's cell.

When Chen Dong paid his respects, Su Wu looked up and saw that the oil lamp was not dim, revealing that Chen Dong's face was swollen and purplish-red.

Su Wu didn't laugh, but sighed and said, "Sit down..."

Chen Dong sat down this time. He had countless questions in his mind and wanted to find someone to guide him. The teachers in the Imperial Academy could not guide him. There was only one person who could guide him, and that was the Prince of Yan in front of him.

Chen Dong asked, "Your Highness, why are these things... Alas... It's truly illogical, like talking to a brick wall, impossible to understand!"

"Is it that they don't understand your reasoning, or that you don't understand theirs?" Su Wu asked.

“Your Highness, it’s because they don’t understand my reasoning. Their reasoning is unreasonable…” Chen Dong was not discouraged, but angry.

"Let me also quote a sage. The sage said, 'The people do not fear death, so why threaten them with death?' They are not afraid of being threatened, nor are they afraid of death itself; they are only afraid of not being able to live well. The sage also said, 'Cultivate oneself, regulate one's family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world.' When you read this, what is the state? What is the world? It is them. But you, being high above, want to educate them, which is not wrong. However, education is a long-term endeavor. If you did not go before, how can you educate them well now? It's like you have studied for more than ten years, while they have not had the opportunity to study, and you expect them to understand your principles instead of you understanding theirs. Isn't that ridiculous?"

Su Wu never looked up, speaking whatever came to mind without much organization, just like a friend chatting casually.

Upon hearing this, Chen Dong frowned deeply. Su Wu continued, "You are not a young master from a noble family; you come from a poor, fallen family. You must have witnessed the suffering of the world. Is the world at peace? If it is not, whose fault is it? Is it the fault of the poor? Or is it the fault of you scholars? If you want to blame them, how can they not blame you? You keep saying you want to bring peace to the world, yet the number of impoverished people is increasing. Whose fault is that?"

Chen Dong stood silently to the side, his expression extremely complicated...

Su Wu added, "Tomorrow, you will also go to Jinghu with the army, and see for yourself who is to blame for this unrest in the world."

(End of this chapter)