Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 382 What crime has the Zhao family committed?
The war is about to begin.

The imperial banner had already reached the westernmost camp in Hanyang, where tens of thousands of elite troops from Jinghu had also arrived.

The general guarding the camp was Dang Quan, the deputy commander of the Hanyang Army, and all the reception arrangements were in his hands.

When the Crown Prince arrived in person, he was naturally served at the beck and call of the emperor.

Inside the central command tent, the Crown Prince was delivering a speech to boost morale: "Gentlemen, the troops under the command of that traitor Su Wu are all coerced soldiers, forced to follow him out of fear of his power. If you all fight bravely, the enemy army will surely collapse and flee. As the saying goes, those who follow the righteous path receive much help, while those who stray from it receive little help. This is the truth. You all know that the hearts of the people are not with the traitor!"

Many of the military officers were looking at His Highness the Crown Prince.

His Highness continued, "If we win, everyone here will be promoted five ranks. From now on, you will all be people I trust, and you will be given important positions in the future. You will also have a place in the Privy Council!"

Although it was his first time leading troops into battle, His Highness Prince Zhao Kai had seen many historical records and knew how to boost morale at this time.

Upon hearing this, quite a few of the military officers looked up at the Crown Prince. It must be said that the Crown Prince's words were extremely appealing.

It's not without a hint of supporting the future emperor. The crown prince is the future emperor, and this is his first time leading troops. If he can really shine in front of the crown prince, he might just become a prime minister in the Privy Council in the future.

Isn't this a meteoric rise to power?
Of course, everyone knew that this matter was not so easy. Most people did not believe that the Prince of Yan's forces would collapse in a short time, simply because after arriving at this camp, the news was everywhere...

Furthermore, we heard that the defeated soldiers from Fuzhou had also arrived here...

Could this be a defeat that could be achieved in a single battle?
This is inevitably a dilemma for many people: on one hand, there's the possibility of instant success, and on the other hand, whether they have the life to reap that success...

How could one not be conflicted?
The crown prince continued speaking, offering encouragement to those who came and went.

Dang Quan, who was serving guests, seized an opportunity to leave the tent, claiming he was going to check on the food preparations...

After leaving the tent, he immediately went to see Jiang Bai and told him what had happened inside the tent.

Dang Quan frowned and asked, "Brother Jiang, does the King have any orders?"

Jiang Bai shook his head: "No, not at all..."

"That's alright..." What Dang Quan was thinking was not to do anything for the king, but rather to avoid getting involved with either side and not to get involved in any fighting.

Jiang Bai, however, still hoped to do something, and said, "Yes, given the current situation, why doesn't the King offer us any tasks to run around for?"

Some of it is hard to understand!
But Su Wu's thoughts were both complex and simple: he still needed to fight a battle to properly demonstrate his ferocity to the entire Jinghu army, so that many people would not harbor any illusions and that fewer innocent people would die in the future.

In other words, it was also to accelerate the psychological collapse of the hundreds of thousands of troops gathered in Hanyang. Therefore, this battle really had to be fought, and it had to be fought well, so that those who experienced it firsthand would truly feel fear and dread.

This misfortune was originally Jiang Bai's fault, but he cleverly avoided it. Now, someone else has to suffer the consequences.

The Crown Prince has arrived, that's perfect, the Crown Prince is far more suitable than Jiang Bai.

The night passed, and early the next morning, Dang Quan saw the prince off in front of the village, sending him to the battlefield further west.

The dragon banner was raised again, and the army headed west to find the rebel Yan's vanguard that had crossed the Han River. Scouts and scouts were also out searching everywhere.

Su Wu didn't try to avoid anything. He set up a simple camp on the western outskirts of the battlefield he had chosen, and waited...

To the east, the prince sat on his horse, gazing into the distance, hoping that the scouts would bring back definite good news.

As expected, the scouts returned and reported in person: "Your Highness, we've found them! We've found the enemy army! They're about thirty miles to the northwest, and they've set up camp!"

Crown Prince Zhao Kai was overjoyed: "Good, good, good! Quickly lead the way to that camp, prepare all the armor, put it on as soon as you get close, and we'll win one great victory after another!"

After speaking, Zhao Kai looked up slightly at the towering dragon banner, and for a moment, he was truly filled with excitement.

He even imagined in his mind that when facing the enemy, he must remain calm and composed, and then, in high spirits, carry out all kinds of military orders and advance bravely...

Thinking of this, Zhao Kai seemed to have already constructed a scene in his mind of a great victory on the battlefield and a crushing defeat for the enemy.

I've also heard that Su Wu is personally leading the vanguard this time. Perhaps we can capture Su Wu on the spot during the battle. Wouldn't that make everything go smoothly?
The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. In his excitement, Zhao Kai urged, "Walk faster, walk faster!"

He also squeezed the horse's belly a few more times, as if he couldn't wait a moment longer...

A scout also reported: "Your Highness, the enemy army has also gathered and is moving eastward, probably within twenty li."

"Good, good, good! Investigate and report again!" The Crown Prince became even more excited, and with great ambition, he kept shouting to those around him: "My men, the time has come to serve the country! As long as we win, each of us will be rewarded immediately... fifty strings of cash! Those who make contributions this time will be even more generously rewarded, with money, grain, and official positions—everything they could want!"

"My lads, follow me into battle! After victory, you will all become pillars of the nation!"

"My lads, this time, we must live up to our ancestors, live up to our country, and live up to the people! This is the time for us to make our mark and achieve great things!"

The more he shouted like this, the more excited Crown Prince Zhao Kai felt!

If we only consider the deeds of heroes throughout history, they are no different from the scene of today!
This is the time for men to make their mark and achieve great things, and also the time to leave their names in history!
Zhao Kai's excited shouts weren't entirely meaningless; it seemed that some of the generals on either side were indeed harboring some thoughts of their own...

Will Xu Zhen win this time?
A scout ahead reported again: "Your Highness, we're getting closer! The enemy is spreading out to the left and right."

"How much further?" Zhao Kai asked loudly.

"Twelve or thirteen li!"

"Men, quicken your pace! After a great victory, we can have lunch!" Zhao Kai shouted, his voice slightly hoarse, but his spirits remained high.

He shouted again, "Put on your armor now! Quickly! Once you're in armor, form ranks on the left and right! Victory is assured! Victory is assured!"

The army of tens of thousands, once they began to don their armor and prepare, dispersed to the left and right. Amidst the chaos and confusion, they were still able to maintain their positions to the left and right.

They continued forward. This was a battlefield personally chosen by Su Wu. After setting up their formation, there were no obstacles in their advance.

Su Wu, who was also there, stood at the front of the formation, but he did not utter a word.

Instead, Hu Cheng said, "Your Majesty, a scout reports that we are within ten li. If we advance in this direction, we will likely encounter each other soon."

Su Wu nodded: "Hu Cheng, Yang Chun!"

"Your subordinate is here!" The two men bowed and stood beside Su Wu.

"You two will each lead the left and right flanks. At the sound of the drums, charge from the left and right, directly into the enemy's flanks, and rout them. There's no need for excessive pursuit!" Su Wu issued his order at the front of the battle.

"Order!"

The two men left upon receiving the order, knowing that the central army's attack would be led by the king himself, as had always been the case.

Getting any closer, we could already see the enemy troops.

Although the dragon banner was still far away, it was truly eye-catching. Su Wu could see it clearly. Su Wu also looked up for some reason. The Yan character banner really didn't look as imposing as the dragon banner.

On the opposite side, Crown Prince Zhao Kai also saw the Yan rebel army at the edge of his field of vision.

Looking to the left from a distance, there is no end in sight; all that can be seen is a dark line coming from the horizon.

Looking at it from the right, it's the same...

Zhao Kai subconsciously looked in his direction again. His own army seemed to be in the same situation, stretching as far as the eye could see. After looking around, he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

We just need to walk closer and get closer.

For some reason, Zhao Kai felt his breathing quicken, he could hear his own heartbeat, and even the sound of his blood flowing through his body...

The enemy's forces ahead became increasingly clear; countless horses and men gleamed in the summer sun, their armor dazzlingly bright...

many!

Why so many?
Looking at the faces of the soldiers on the left and right, they were all pale with guilt, and their pace began to slow down.

Zhao Kai shouted again: "My comrades, we will protect our country for ten thousand years! Today we will kill the enemy and make our mark! Stop, hold your formation, prepare the drums, and get ready to fight!"

The soldiers on either side immediately stopped, and behind them, large drums were being unloaded from the carriages, and they were arranged to the left and right.

Thus, the pre-battle military formation is complete!

However, within the military formation, people were whispering and looking around everywhere.

Over there, the knights' figures became clearer and clearer, appearing tall and imposing from afar, one by one, in groups, their ranks seemingly endless...

They also stopped and gathered in formation over there, with drums beating in the air.

In fact, this type of war rarely occurs. The two sides slowly approach each other, then line up and charge at each other. If you really want to count, there were more of these in the Spring and Autumn Period, but they became very rare in the Warring States Period.

The dragon banner became increasingly clear in Su Wu's eyes. A river breeze, coming from the southeast, blew it, and the golden dragon, baring its fangs and claws, fluttered about, its fluttering sound audible.

Su Wu was reading the enemy formation, a basic operation. The Crown Prince was certainly under the dragon banner. Should he avoid attacking, or charge straight in and kill the Crown Prince?

This seems to require some choices...

After a brief moment of deliberation, Su Wu, prioritizing the war effort, decided to focus on capturing the leader first and charge towards the imperial banner, for victory was of utmost importance.

Also observe the path along the way, noting any obvious or hidden undulations or potholes; this is also an element of reading the battle formation.

Over there, the Crown Prince suddenly seemed lost in thought, not in a daze, but with countless thoughts arising in his mind.

Thinking about it, the Yan bandits are truly formidable; such a large army arrayed in formation is truly terrifying.

Then he thought, it doesn't matter. The Yan rebels' morale is already low. With the dragon banner here, those soldiers must be even more uneasy. They are still maintaining their formation at this moment because they are intimidated by the power of the Yan rebels. Once the battle starts, they will surely be defeated on the spot!

Thinking of this, Zhao Kai felt at ease.

But for some inexplicable reason, Zhao Kai couldn't control himself and a thought popped into his mind: what if... what if the enemy army didn't collapse?
No, no, no, absolutely not! The Song Dynasty has been in power for 160 years, and the rightful rule of the world has long been deeply rooted in people's hearts. The hearts of the people belong to the Zhao family!
Looking around, those who are going into battle today must also be loyal to their country and its people. Although they may seem a little nervous at the moment, that's normal. Once the fighting begins, with loyalty in their hearts, they will fight to the death...

It's definitely going to be a fight to the death!

Whether it was the Han or the Tang dynasty, which of those soldiers wasn't loyal and righteous?
How many loyal and righteous people are there in the world?
I think of Geng Gong guarding the Western Regions, and I think of Guiyi staying up all his life!
As he was thinking, Zhao Kai suddenly woke up, only to find that the drums on the other side were suddenly beating loudly. Looking around, he saw countless horses galloping, and the sky seemed to be trembling.

"Beat the drum! Beat the drum!" Zhao Kai shouted hurriedly!
The drums began to beat.

But it seemed unable to hear any loud drumbeats, only a rumbling sound coming from the west, a torrent of steel pouring out like a floodgate bursting.

Countless hoofbeats, like a towering wave, were sweeping in and engulfing everything.

"Charge! Kill!" Zhao Kaixu didn't think he was very nervous, but his voice trembled as he shouted.

It was already clear that the enemy army was closing in from both flanks like two arms!
"Kill! Kill the traitors! Loyalty and righteousness for the country begin today!" Zhao Kai shouted repeatedly. He had already dismounted and was already moving forward, truly stepping forward in front of the ranks of soldiers.

The horse's hooves were incredibly fast; they approached from afar as if in the blink of an eye.

From a distance, the armored cavalry looked enormous, but not very real.

Looking at him now, as he charged forward, the knight seemed like a mountain collapsing in front of him, growing bigger and bigger!
Before the men and horses even arrived, a buzzing sound filled the air. Before they could even understand what it was, the sky suddenly filled with countless black dots, which fell rapidly with a whooshing sound. They grew darker and larger as they fell!
"Ah!!" A wail came from nearby.

Zhao Kai turned his head to look and saw arrows raining down. Someone was hit in the face, with an arrow lodged in his eye socket. The soldier fell to the ground, howling in pain.

Blood gushed out, staining his face. The soldier who had been shot with an arrow rolled on the ground, crawling backward as he tumbled.

Zhao Kai is charging forward!

He seemed to think he was charging forward, but in fact his steps had already stopped. He stared blankly at the people rolling on the ground.

The cries of agony had already risen and fallen, but Zhao Kai seemed to ignore them, standing there blankly.

Until someone shouted, "Run!"

Zhao Kai suddenly snapped back to his senses and looked straight ahead. The armored knight on horseback was incredibly tall. How could he be so tall?

They charged forward, right before them, unimpeded, as if entering an empty land.

To the left and right, not a single soldier went forward; they all turned and ran...

As I ran past Zhao Kai, I saw only terror on his face.

crackle...

The dragon banner was falling, falling forward. The people holding and protecting the banner were many strongmen who had been selected. On the way there, Zhao Kai had spoken to them, praising their strength and saying that they would be promoted and rewarded after the victory.

When they fled for their lives, the dragon banner seemed to be casually pushed forward, and no one ever stood it up again.

Zhao Kai stood there, stunned, and for a moment he seemed to hear someone calling, "Zhao Kai!"

"Eh!" Zhao Kai answered blankly, looking around in a daze as he followed the sound.

A massive knight approached, a flash of light, and he rode past, not raising his spear, but reaching out to grab Zhao Kai. Zhao Kai felt the world spin, as if his vision went slightly black, as if...

"Your Highness, haha..."

Zhao Kai looked in the direction of the sound and first saw a clear blue sky, then a huge iron helmet, and through the gaps in the helmet were a pair of sharp eyes!

Looking around, Zhao Kai realized that he was lying across the back of a horse.

And then there was the laughter coming from inside the iron helmet: "Under the great banner, standing there dumbfounded, it really is Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Who are you?" Zhao Kai asked in a panic.

"I am Su Wu!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Kai twisted his waist and slapped at Su Wu's armor with both hands, struggling and trying to escape.

Su Wu pressed down on Zhao Kai's waist and abdomen with one hand and said, "Your Highness, falling off your horse could mean certain death!"

Zhao Kai suddenly stopped moving again, turned his head to look, and saw the grass, trees and pebbles passing by beneath the horse's hooves, as if a brush had been scribbling across a large sheet of paper...

The horse's hooves gradually slowed down and eventually came to a stop.

There is also the saying of Su Wu: "Stop chasing, there is no need to commit further killings."

The left and right sides also stopped, and the more than 10,000 elite soldiers of Jinghu were running all over the mountains and fields, with helmets and armor scattered everywhere, and weapons lying everywhere...

Actually, only a few people were killed or injured, maybe a hundred or so. Many of them were on the ground begging for mercy and asking for help...

This doesn't even qualify as a period of time...

Su Wu wasn't particularly surprised. He had prepared diligently; he had anticipated this scenario...

Su Wu pressed one hand on Zhao Kai's waist and abdomen on the horse in front of him, handed the iron spear to the person next to him with the other hand, then lifted the iron helmet covering his face, looked at Zhao Kai, and said, "Your Highness is so brave and martial!"

"Traitor, you shall die a horrible death!" Zhao Kai blurted out the curse, though he didn't actually say it aloud; he cursed in his heart.

Su Wu only saw Zhao Kai's lips move, but he didn't say anything, so he asked, "What did Your Highness say?"

Zhao Kai did not answer. His arm moved slightly, and he touched his waist. There was a sharp long knife at his waist. He drew it and used it to assassinate the traitor.

"Your Highness, please go down..." Su Wu said again, and also pushed Zhao Kai's body towards his feet: "Stand firm."

Zhao Kai dismounted, but lost his footing and stumbled. He braced himself with his hands on the ground to regain his footing. He did indeed have a long sword at his waist, but he didn't draw it.

Looking around, he saw rows of armored knights surrounding him, all watching him.

"Your Majesty, is this the Crown Prince?"

"Yes, he is the Crown Prince!"

"Hey...interesting, take a closer look, really take a good look!"

Countless masks were being lifted, countless eyes were watching, scrutinizing from top to bottom, left to right—some curious, some mocking…

"She has delicate features!"

"He's a handsome man!"

"Wow, the dough is so smooth, even better than the girls at JD.com!"

"Wow, wow, it's so beautiful!"

Zhao Kai kept moving, turning left and right, seemingly unaware of the fear on his face; his mind was probably a complete mess.

Suddenly, Zhao Kai stopped, closed his eyes slightly, then opened them again, looked around, closed his eyes again, squeezed them shut, and after a while, opened them again...

His legs went weak and he sat down on the ground.

"You're not hurt, are you?"

"I don't see any injuries..."

The soldiers talked amongst themselves.

But then Su Wu said, "Bring the dragon banner and fold it up properly..."

There are soldiers who will take care of it.

"Your Highness, are you still able to walk? Please come back to camp with me..." Su Wu asked.

His Highness the Crown Prince slumped to the ground, head bowed and silent.

Some soldiers joked, "Since the king captured them with his own hands, they must be worth at least a thousand strings of cash each, right?"

"Nonsense! Ten thousand strings of cash! The army should reward the King with ten thousand strings of cash, haha... Tell that Wu Yuhou to hurry up and send the money to the King!"

"Ha ha……"

Su Wu dismounted and walked towards Zhao Kai. After finding a good angle, he sat down beside Zhao Kai and said, "Actually, you're not bad either. At least you actually came to the front lines in armor and led your men forward a few steps. Not bad at all..."

Zhao Kai raised his head slightly and secretly glanced at Su Wu.

Su Wu saw this, and his face was covered in tears, which flowed like a spring.

"Hey! Why is Your Highness crying?" This soldier was quite rude.

"Since you've come to fight, why aren't there any personal guards protecting Your Highness as you charge into battle?" Many soldiers were impolite.

Su Wu was also helpless; these roughnecks could talk... so he raised his hand and said, "Go on with your work, and gather up the armor and weapons as well. I'd like to have a good chat with Your Highness..."

The soldiers dispersed with expressions of lingering enjoyment, leaving only a few people waiting nearby for further instructions.

Su Wu sighed and asked Zhao Kai beside him, "Is there anything Your Highness wishes to say to me?"

Zhao Kai raised his head slightly again, looked at Su Wu, and asked, "Why do you want to rebel?"

Su Wuzhen replied, "This is a very complicated question. Let's not even talk about the emperor's lack of tolerance; just consider this: is the Song Dynasty truly good or bad now? Does your Zhao family still have the right to rule the world? Tell me..."

"What crime has my Zhao family committed?" Zhao Kai asked earnestly.

It's unknown whether Zhao Kai would have the courage to speak up when facing the Jurchens, who were like wolves and tigers, raping and plundering.

“I really can’t answer you right now, but there is someone who can answer you very clearly…” Su Wu said.

"Who is it?" Zhao Kai asked as well.

"Wang Fu!" Su Wu said. Wang Fu was going to write a masterpiece. Su Wu had already seen the first draft and was slightly dissatisfied. Actually, he was already quite satisfied, but he still wanted Wang Fu to refine it further.

This document is actually very important. Rebellion has always required a legitimate cause, and a manifesto is the most fundamental document.

Moreover, this manifesto is extremely important for historical records to make definitive judgments for generations to come.

"He...how could he...what did he say?" Zhao Kai was greatly puzzled.

Su Wu slowly removed his armor, first the skirt armor and shoulder guards, then slightly loosened the leather straps on his breastplate, so that he could put his hands inside his robes.

He took out something, handed it over, and said, “Since ancient times, heroes have been judged by victory or defeat. This saying is biased. How can a victor win? It is because he did many things right and conformed to the hearts of many people. How can a loser lose? It is because he did many things wrong and went against the will of the people. You are a scholar, so you should understand… Take a look for yourself…”

Zhao Kai slowly took it, his face full of suspicion. He opened it and saw that it was indeed a "Proclamation Against Zhao Ji".

text:

"Your subject, Wang Fu, solemnly declares to the world with righteous indignation: Zhao Ji has reigned for twenty-five years, neglecting his duties and corrupting the court. His crimes reach the heavens and are buried on earth, arousing the wrath of both gods and men, and nearly endangering the nation. Now, we raise the banner of righteousness to set things right, not to usurp the throne, but to save the Chinese nation!"
You, Prince Duan, were fortunate to inherit the throne, yet you were frivolous and disloyal, indulging in art and neglecting the state, favoring entertainers while alienating virtuous officials. Zhu Mian flattered you with flowers and stones, staining Taihu Lake with the blood and sweat of the southeast. A multitude of petty men misled the emperor with sycophantic words, obscuring the uprightness of the court. Furthermore, you established the Suzhou and Hangzhou Construction Bureau, seizing the people's children. You created the Western City Land Confiscation Office, digging up graves and leveling houses. This caused farmers to weep blood in the southern fields, and scholars to writhe in despair in the eastern corridors!
What is even more appalling is that he falsely claims to be the Daoist Emperor, blaspheming against Heaven. He secretly visits brothels, violating moral principles. In the past, the Liao bandits, like wolves eyeing Yan and Yun, could still wield their pens with flowing strokes. Now, the Jin and Di, like tigers glaring at the northern border, still indulge in revelry and seek personal gain. The eunuch Liang Shicheng has even taken control of the imperial examinations!

Is this something a ruler would do?
When enemy cavalry knocked on the palace gates, you abdicated in favor of the crown prince and fled, abandoning millions of lives to the sword. You ceded Han territory to bribe wolves, and tore apart ancestral lands to seek a precarious peace. The Song Dynasty, which had usurped the Chinese throne for 160 years, has now utterly lost all dignity and shame!
In the past, the elders of Kaifeng still hung swaddling clothes on the city walls, and righteous men of Hebei still shed their blood in the streets. Yet you flee far away, calmly practicing painting. In the past, Xia Jie fled to Nanchao, yet still felt shame and immolated himself. Liu Shan, residing in Luoyi, still covered his face and wept for Shu. Such shamelessness as yours is unprecedented throughout history!

Even worse are those who are stubborn, narrow-minded, and domineering, slandering loyalty and righteousness despite having accomplished nothing, and murdering meritorious officials with venomous intent.

We, blessed by the virtues of our ancestors and the righteousness of Heaven and Earth, now the Prince of Yan leads his loyal and righteous army, his sons weeping blood, vowing to restore justice to the world, bring peace to China, and restore glory to the four seas!
If we could cleanse the Bian River of its foul stench and restore peace to the world, I would gladly give my life even if it meant sacrificing my life!
The day this proclamation arrives, respond swiftly. Do not wait until the wolves have devoured your bones and muscles before you think of rising up! Heaven and Earth bear witness to these words.

Your subject, Wang Fu, respectfully submits this proclamation, weeping blood!

The long and detailed explanation left Zhao Kai speechless.

Su Wu, standing to the side, asked, "How is it written? Is there anything wrong or inappropriate? This is the first draft; it can be revised further."

(End of this chapter)