Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 377 How old is he?
The meeting was held before the army, and many generals and officers were present.

The atmosphere wasn't overly serious or tense, nor was it excessively relaxed; it was a very normal and familiar atmosphere...

The rules of procedure for the meeting became more and more sophisticated. The first thing to discuss was how to fight the battle. The first item on the agenda was the logistical situation, and the second was how to cross the river and from where...

Two places were chosen to cross the river. One was Gucheng, which is the old river mouth of later generations, upstream of Xiangyang. The other was Niushou, downstream of Gucheng. In fact, the banks of the Han River in this section are not dangerous, and there are many places to cross the river, making it difficult to defend.

However, the importance of Xiangyang lies in the fact that if a large army marches south and fails to capture Xiangyang, it will be a major city with a large number of soldiers and soldiers, and it is also guarding the Han River, which will surely cut off its supply lines.

Logically speaking, there should be a navy between Xiangyang and Hanyang, and even on the Yangtze River. However, Su Wu sent out scouts to run up and down the river several times, but they did not find any navy.

On the contrary, Cheng Hao actually managed to catch a lot of boats along the way, in many waterways of all sizes. There were at least seven or eight hundred boats of all sizes, because the waterways along the way were dense and there were indeed many boats on the Han River.

Not far north of Xiangyang lies a historic city called Xinye, which has now disappeared into the annals of history. This was the place where Liu Bei truly rose to power after his rise and fall during the Three Kingdoms period.

Xiangyang is located at the southernmost point of the Central China Plain, where it meets the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Plain.

After several discussions, Su Wu gave the order: "Take 5,000 Jingdong infantrymen to the vicinity of Gucheng and cross the river as they see fit. After crossing the river, report back immediately!"

Knowing this would happen long ago, the Ruan brothers, along with a group of strongmen, had already followed Wu Song from the Jingdong land route into the capital, even though the ships hadn't arrived yet. This proved to be of great use.

Ruan Xiao'er and Ruan Xiaoqi, who were sitting in the back row, stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Yes, sir!"

Su Wu glanced around and saw pairs of welcoming gazes, all expressing a desire to fight. Su Wu said, “The two armies that have crossed the river, one led by Sun Xin and one by Cao Zheng, with Lu Da going first!”

"Yes, sir!" They all stood up in unison, their voices ringing out in unison.

"After crossing the river, there's no need to rush south. First, occupy the riverbank, set up camp, and wait for further instructions." Su Wu gestured for the others to sit down, then continued, "Lin Chong, lead 8,000 light cavalry and quickly descend the Han River, crossing the small river by yourself, to launch a surprise attack on Changshou City downstream of the Han River! If you can't capture it quickly, then decisively lead your army back north and appear around Yicheng to confuse the enemy."

"Yes, sir!" Lin Chong stood up.

"That's all, everyone disperse!" Su Wu waved his hand.

The first move was made in this way. The cultivator was no easy opponent, so this was considered a test.

With many officials in Tokyo under his control, he practically controls the state apparatus. The immediate priority is to act swiftly, like an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves.

However, when facing the Zhong Shizhong, one must be cautious. Strategically, one still attaches great importance to him, but tactically, Su Wu actually despises him more than he thinks.

There are two reasons. First, the division actually has no troops available; having more troops would be of little use. Second, the division lacks experience in warfare in this terrain. It's flat, with a dense network of waterways, and the division's old experience in many areas is actually not very useful, and might even bring negative consequences.

Su Wu had experience in suppressing Fang La in Jiangnan and Zhejiang. Looking back now, Fang La was indeed a weakling, which made Su Wu not seem too unfamiliar with this situation when he first encountered it, allowing him to gradually gain experience.

Su Wu knew that the current situation and terrain would lead Zhong Shizhong to make mistakes.

We just need to wait for the opportunity, but of course, we also need to actively create opportunities.

Once the military order was issued, all troops moved out of command.

In Xiangyang City, which is across the river, scouts and mounted soldiers were constantly running around, and the army was continuously gathering and reporting back news.

Even Zhong Shizhong knew that completely cutting off Su Wu's army from crossing the Han River was unrealistic...

There was only one way to defend Xiangyang: the city walls had to be impregnable. He also constantly inspected the city's defenses.

On the city wall, there was a soldier who had come from the northwest with him, also frowning. How could he not see the camps stretching for miles across the river?
Standing beside Zhong Shizhong, with no one else around, he said, "Old Marshal, there are many things I've kept in my heart for a long time, but I don't know if I should say them..."

“Just tell me…” Zhong Shizhong’s back was a little hunched, but he still personally measured every part of the city wall with his footsteps.

"Old general, are we really going to fight the Prince of Yan to the death here?" The general was a subordinate of the Zhong family, or you could call him a family general. His surname was Ma and his name was Ma Qin.

This man was also a figure who would be remembered in history. At this time, he was a general under Zhong Shizhong. In history, he later... eventually surrendered to the Jin dynasty.

Zhong Shizhong paused slightly, looking at Ma Qin with an extremely complicated expression. Ma Qin was one of his fierce generals, who had followed him since childhood and fought in countless battles. However, Ma Qin was not old and had a wife and children.

"You don't want to?" Zhong Shizhong asked rhetorically.

"Indeed... It's not that I'm unwilling... Whoever the old general fights, I will fight!" Ma Qin's voice was somewhat tense.

“No need to hide anything. Just tell me what you’re thinking…” Zhong Shizhong walked slowly forward with his hands behind his back and his back hunched. There were only a few soldiers on duty ahead, so it was safe to talk to him.

"Then will you truly speak?"

"Speak then..."

"This humble general just feels that this matter is rather unclear. How did a war suddenly break out like this? The Prince of Yan came from the north, and logically speaking, the northern army is as numerous as hairs on a cow. How did the Prince of Yan manage to get here so easily? Isn't that strange? But that's secondary. What this humble general wants to say is, with our small force, how can we possibly win? Not to mention others, this humble general has accompanied the Prince of Yan into battle several times in the past. The Prince of Yan's fighting skills... his skills are truly unmatched by others..."

Ma Qin was really saying it.

"Are you saying that I am no match for him?" It's unclear whether Zhong Shizhong asked this on purpose.

Ma Qin waved his hands repeatedly: "General, that's not what I meant. What I meant was... just look at the soldiers of Xiangyang. How many have good armor? How many have sharp weapons? How many are strong and muscular? And look at their appearance, how many are truly willing to fight? We've only brought a little over 20,000 men from the Northwest, and the Emperor has already sent 17,000 or 18,000. Yicheng and Changshou have also taken a lot. How can we, with only a few thousand men here, possibly defend Xiangyang?"

"Why couldn't a few thousand men defend a fortified city?" Zhong Shizhong asked again.

"Is the old general testing me? Then let's talk about morale. It's one thing if it were someone else, but there are so many familiar troops and generals on the other side. The Prince of Yan is right there. Which of us soldiers didn't fight alongside the Prince of Yan in the past? Which of us didn't earn money from the Prince of Yan to buy land and build houses? How can we fight like this?"

By this point, Ma Qin's expression had already shown signs of discouragement.

“Since you’ve brought this up, then tell me what’s right and wrong…” Zhong Shizhong stopped again.

"Old General, it's not a matter of right or wrong, what's there to say about right or wrong... If we really have to talk about right and wrong, we... well, not us, but the soldiers under my command also have their complaints. Anyway, the Prince of Yan didn't do anything wrong, how could he possibly make a mistake in fighting the Jurchens..."

Ma Qin was clearly becoming increasingly discouraged. The kindness shown to him by the young master Zhong was immense! No amount of repayment was too much, and it would be right to repay him with one's life.

But... the Prince of Yan's kindness is not small, especially for ordinary soldiers. It is as heavy as a mountain. They have fought together many times. I only ask the soldiers, which one does not like the Prince of Yan?

He fought alongside the Prince of Yan, winning every battle and accumulating countless merits. How come he's now the Prince of Yan's enemy? What kind of situation is this...?

Soldiers may not understand grand philosophical principles, but they certainly understand the little things, right? They know who's good to them...

Zhong Shizhong resumed his steps, turned to look at the continuous camps on the opposite bank of the Han River, and asked, "Is this what you all think?"

Ma Qin nodded, then quickly shook his head: "General, please don't misunderstand. It's just the soldiers below talking nonsense. We officers will listen to you, General! You would never harm us..."

"Harm you? Hmph! Look at what you're saying..." Zhong Shizhong turned his head, his eyes filled with a fierce look. How could a little bit of cleverness hide anything from him?

Ma Qin shook his head repeatedly in fright: "If the old marshal trusts me, I will follow him no matter what, even in life and death!"

Ma Qin's words may not be untrue. Historically, he was by Zhong Shizhong's side when he died, and he witnessed a great tragedy, as recorded in history: when rewards for merit were not continued, the troops scattered.

In the historical war to rescue Wang Bing of Taiyuan, Zhong Shizhong's soldiers were furious and scattered because the court had not paid the promised reward for their merits. Only about a hundred of his closest confidants remained by his side, among whom was Ma Qin. He witnessed how Zhong Shizhong fought to the death and truly stayed by his side through thick and thin.

This is probably why Ma Qin, in his anger, actually surrendered to the Jin dynasty.

The Song Dynasty had too much money, but it just couldn't allocate it to the right places at the right time!
Zhong Shizhong withdrew his gaze and said succinctly, "Just wait..."

"What are you waiting for, General?" Ma Qin asked curiously, then immediately regretted it, saying he shouldn't have asked so much. He quickly added, "Please don't be offended, General. I was just asking casually and had no other intention!"

"We'll talk about it when my brother writes from Hanyang..." Zhong Shizhong didn't hide anything.

It was only after Master Zhong took a boat that he arrived in Hanyang.

The weather was extremely hot. When disembarking, Zhong Shidao asked Qin Hui, who had come to pick him up, "Why is it so hot here..."

Qin Hui replied with a smile, "I didn't know at first, but I found out after I arrived. This place is extremely hot, a rare find in the world. Please bear with me, sir."

The old man was also helpless. Since they had already come all this way, what else could he do but endure it?

Qin Hui personally helped Zhong Shidao, who had disembarked from the boat, to the carriage, and suddenly realized that Zhong Shidao was indeed walking unsteadily and had difficulty straightening his back.

Qin Hui also asked, "How old are you this year, sir?"

Zhong Shidao paused his movements, as if thinking for a moment, and then answered in one sentence: "Seventy-four...five, five, seventy-five!"

Qin Hui's heart sank, and he tried again to help him up: "Old Master, get in the carriage!"

What kind of man was Zhong Shidao? A tough guy who had spent his life riding horses and fighting on the battlefield, he had arrived in Hanyang exhausted from the journey. He couldn't even get onto the carriage, let alone mount a horse. Qin Hui was too weak to help him up by himself, so the soldiers behind him quickly lent a hand and finally managed to get Zhong Shidao onto the carriage.

It's hot even in the capital, and it's gotten even hotter these past few days, so hot that it feels like people's skin is about to peel off.

The people living in Hanyang were so anxious and restless that they went out of the city and went to live on Turtle Mountain. Turtle Mountain was not a big mountain, only about thirty feet high, but it had one advantage: it was windy. When the river breeze came, it was much cooler.

Zhong Shidao still had to go up the mountain to see him. Although the mountain was not high, the mountain path was not suitable for vehicles, so he could only climb it on foot. Zhong Shidao was panting heavily as he climbed. The soldiers on his left and right tried to help him, but he refused and just waved them away, pushing them aside. He continued on his way.

He stumbled for a moment, and his attendants rushed over to help him up. After he got up, he struggled to his feet and tried to get up on his own again.

The stone steps are very well built; you can easily climb them one by one.

There was a pavilion on the mountaintop, formerly used by tourists to enjoy the river view, but now it was occupied by the emperor. Upon entering the pavilion, the emperor, dressed in light clothing, was standing by the bed, fanning himself with a folding fan. When he saw Zhong Shidao arrive, he was overjoyed and quickly stepped forward to help him up, saying, "Old Master, you've finally come! Come here, look, look!"

Zhong Shidao also looked out. In fact, he could see it before he went up the mountain, but he wasn't in the mood to look.

Looking at it now, the scenery hasn't changed, only the perspective has improved, making it even more magnificent.

What kind of scene is this?

Here is Turtle Mountain, and across the river is Snake Mountain. On Snake Mountain, there is a tall building. Master Zhong is a scholar, how could he not know what that tall building is?
Li Bai's poem reads: "My old friend bids farewell to the Yellow Crane Tower, heading down to Yangzhou in the misty, flowery third month. His lone sail disappears into the vast blue sky, leaving only the Yangtze River flowing to the horizon."

As the Tang poet Cui Hao wrote: "The ancients have ridden the yellow crane away, leaving only the Yellow Crane Tower behind. The yellow crane is gone and will never return, while the white clouds drift aimlessly for a thousand years..."

The phrase "The trees of Hanyang stand clearly in the clear sky, and the fragrant grasses grow lush on Parrot Island" refers to this place, which later became one of the three towns of Wuhan.

"My lord, this scene is magnificent and grand, reminiscent of the ancients. Although we are on this side of the Yangtze River today, we are still seeing the same sights that Cui Hao and Li Bai once witnessed. Isn't that wonderful?"

The emperor was in a good mood, at least at this moment.

Zhong Shidao nodded and said, "Hearing Your Majesty's words, this old minister also seems to have suddenly felt the splendor of the Tang Dynasty..."

"Haha... old gentleman, what a pity, what a pity..." The emperor suddenly felt a little disappointed.

"Huh?" How could Master Zhong possibly understand?

The Emperor said to himself, "If all the pigments from the Tokyo Palace had been brought here, I would surely have painted a masterpiece now, and then bestowed it upon the old minister as a reward for his generations of loyalty and righteousness!"

Zhong Shidao was taken aback for a moment, then waved his hand: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty, but it's no problem. You can paint it another day!"

"Alright, it's a deal!" The Emperor took Zhong Shidao's hand and gently shook it a few times.

He added, "Now that the old prime minister has arrived in Hanyang and the young prime minister is in Xiangyang, I have nothing to worry about!"

Zhong Shidao noticed the tea table nearby and said, "Your Majesty, may I have a seat first?"

Even this old man couldn't stand up any longer; if he were to actually fall, it would be even more unsightly.

"Sit down, old prime minister!" the emperor hurriedly invited. Qin Hui, seeing the opportunity, immediately stepped forward to help him up, perhaps knowing that the old prime minister was probably unable to stand.

Even as the woman came to serve the tea, the emperor complained, "It's so hot here. Hot tea only makes me more agitated, and cold tea loses its flavor. This is nothing like the capital city..."

Zhong Shidao simply nodded in agreement, without saying a word.

The emperor then asked about the important matter: "How does the old prime minister intend to wage war?"

Zhong Shidao replied earnestly, "It also depends on what Your Majesty thinks..."

"Of course we must win! I have already ordered the Jiangxia army to cross the river and assemble in Hanyang. In this way, with an army several times larger, we can win a decisive battle and defeat the rebels. Let's see where the old prime minister chooses for the decisive battle!"

The emperor spoke urgently, saying that Hanyang was not a place to stay for long, and that traitor was not someone who could stay for long either!
Zhong Shidao was taken aback upon hearing this and immediately asked, "Has His Majesty really transferred all the troops from Jiangxia to Hanyang?"

The emperor nodded earnestly: "That's how it should be! What's wrong? Is there something amiss?"

Zhong Shidao sighed and said, "Then let's settle this with a single battle..."

"We will surely win a great victory!" The emperor was truly extremely confident. Why was that?

The Emperor said, “That Su Wu is nothing but a soldier. How many of him truly oppose me, having led so many soldiers in a rebellion? I ask myself, since ascending the throne, I have worked diligently for the prosperity of the nation and its people, and have never failed the people. With the Han and Tang dynasties on the verge of restoration, how dare this mere soldier, Su Wu, covet the throne? He knows that our Great Song has nurtured scholars for over a hundred years, and the hearts of the people are already at peace. This traitor uses force to coerce the weak, and I've recently heard that even many officials in the capital have been drawn into the army to fight alongside him. This shows how terrified Su Wu is, fearing he can't control the situation. The morale and the people's hearts are truly on the verge of collapse. So be it! A hundred thousand troops, a single attack, and let's see how few dare to remain by his side! Let's see what fate awaits this traitor…”

Zhong Shidao nodded repeatedly, saying, "What Your Majesty says makes sense."

Qin Hui, who was standing nearby, seemed to be deeply moved as well, and exclaimed, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Upon hearing these two words, the Emperor felt a surge of pride and waved his hand, saying, "A poem, brewing in my heart, is about to burst forth. Listen, gentlemen: Tortoise and snake stand facing each other on the flowing river, smoke shrouds Jing and Wu through the eternal autumn. The shadows of cranes and clouds sink into the vastness of heaven and earth, the sound of wind and waves stirs the reeds on the islet. A thousand sails have passed in the setting sun, a melody fades at Yellow Crane Tower. If you wish to ask where the immortals can be found, lush grasses fill the riverbank."

The poem has been recited; now look to the left and right.

On the left was Zhong Shidao, who hadn't even spoken yet, while on the right was Qin Hui, who had already spoken: "There is an old legend that when Li Bai arrived at the Yellow Crane Tower, he saw Cui Hao's poem inscribed there and was so ashamed that he dared not compose a new one. Your Majesty's poem today has the spirit to encompass the world, the sorrow of the past and present, and the carefree heart to transcend the mortal world. Even if Cui Hao were alive today, upon hearing Your Majesty's poem, he would be ashamed of his own inadequacy. This poem should be inscribed on the Yellow Crane Tower for all generations to admire!"

Zhong Shidao glanced at Qin Hui and nodded: "A fine poem!"

The emperor was pleased with himself, and then looked at Zhong Shidao and said, "How about the old gentleman suggests a poetic title?"

After a moment's thought, Master Zhong said, "A divine tortoise carries a true immortal! The poem says, 'The Immortal Gazes the Ancient Flow of the River.'"

Master Zhong said, "It's not that he can't, it's that he can..."

"Haha...Good, good, good!" The emperor stood up, closed his folding fan, and clapped his hands together: "What a fine mood I am today! This is an omen of the immortals! A great victory! A great victory indeed!"

"Then this old minister shall go and inspect the various armies inside and outside the city?" Zhong Shidao slowly stood up and cupped his hands in greeting.

"My lord, please take this opportunity!" The emperor rose and gestured for him to join in.

Zhong Shidao slowly walked out of the pavilion, and soldiers from outside the gate came to help him. He waved them away and went down the steps.

Inside the palace, the emperor's interest was even greater: "Go and search, go to Hanyang City and Jiangxia City to search. It doesn't matter if you can't find the best pigments. I really want to capture this scene in a painting. It was your words that said this is the spirit of the world!"

"Yes, sir!" Qin Hui nodded immediately.

Zhong Shidao descended the steps slowly, and Qin Hui caught up with him in a hurried pace. Just as he caught up, he heard Zhong Shidao let out a long sigh...

"Please wait, sir. I have other business to attend to and must go now!" Qin Hui was polite.

“Go ahead, go ahead…” Zhong Shidao nodded.

There weren't many steps, and by walking slowly and resting occasionally, Zhong Shidao was able to get down, but he insisted on mounting his horse.

The soldiers on either side came to persuade him, "Sir, please get in the carriage!"

Zhong Shidao waved his hand and said, "There's no reason for you to patrol the camp in a carriage. Get on your horse!"

Unable to refuse, they had no choice but to get him on the horse. Some helped, some carried, and they got Zhong Shidao onto the horse. The soldiers had to protect him on both sides, afraid that the seventy-five-year-old gentleman would fall off.

They actually went to patrol the camp...

Heading north of the city, there were countless camps, some resembling refugee camps, while others were better in the distance. Let's head towards the further out first.

I was watching soldiers fight; soldiers from the Northwest were beating soldiers from Jinghu, and I had no idea why...

Zhong Shidao sighed, waved his hand, and gestured to move forward.

The soldiers in the Northwest were cursing: "Damn it, how can you scatter and defecate everywhere? Don't you have any regulations in your barracks? This place is close to our camp, how can you scatter and defecate like this?"

He was yelling back, "I can't just pull you here, can I? You wait, I'm not going to give up on this today! I'll call my brothers and we'll fight you to the death!"

The soldier beside Zhong Shidao was about to step forward to stop him.

But then he saw Zhong Shidao, his inner and outer clothes soaked with sweat, and he sighed, "Go forward, go forward, let's go into the camp first."

There's not much to patrol anymore; along the way, there's hardly anything that looks like a military camp.

The army here hasn't fought a war in who knows how many years. It goes without saying what the Song Dynasty's soldiers are like, not to mention the civil officials and military generals. How could they possibly go into battle?

Upon entering the camp, Wang Yuan, who was already there, personally greeted Zhong Shidao...

After meeting the person, Zhong Shidao dismissed him and sat down at his desk to begin writing a letter.

After writing the letter, he ordered it to be sent by fast horse.

The next day, the generals gathered early in the morning to see if Old Master Zhong had any instructions...

After waiting for so long, I finally went to see it...

Old Master Zhong is dead!
There was no harm done. If he really died, it was probably a natural death from old age... Perhaps he was already old and frail, and the long journey couldn't withstand the heat of Hanyang, so he really did die...

The emperor, atop Turtle Mountain, had also risen early. The pigments had just arrived the day before. After eating early, he prepared to use his innate talent for painting to bestow upon Old Zhong as a reward for his loyalty and righteousness.

But just as he put pen to paper and finished the composition of a few auspicious cranes, Qin Hui suddenly rushed over: "Your Majesty, the old Prime Minister Zhong has passed away!"

"What?" The emperor was stunned. There was still ink on the tip of his brush. He was about to put it down when it stopped in mid-air. The ink dripped down and stained a patch of fine paper.

"What happened?" The emperor asked again after being stunned.

"I'm old, very old, I'm... sick... with a fever!" This was Qin Hui's own speculation about the cause...

"How old is he...?" The emperor was truly unaware and asked in a daze.

(Brothers, it's almost the last two days of August, so please vote again and check if you've cast your monthly tickets yet. Thanks...)
(End of this chapter)