Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 383 I am powerless to do anything more...

Zhao Kai stared at the proclamation in his hand, not looking up for a long time...

Su Wu then asked, "Does Your Highness have any different opinions on this proclamation?"

Zhao Kai raised his head slightly, glanced at Su Wu, and slowly folded the proclamation again, his hands trembling uncontrollably as he did so, his words also trembling: "The words in this proclamation are rather...exaggerated..."

"Your Highness, please tell me where it is that can truly be changed!" Su Wu's tone suggested he was not lying.

"This... what do you mean by 'blood staining Taihu Lake'? This... this..." Zhao Kai seemed to really want to refute it.

"How did Fang La become a bandit? It was because his family's lacquer garden was forcibly seized by the Bureau of Construction. From the moment he rose up, he had a million followers. Are a million people the hearts and minds of the people? He ravaged the countryside, fought fierce battles, and countless people died or were injured... Does Your Highness really think this is an exaggeration?"

Su Wu was now engaging in a very serious debate with His Highness the Crown Prince.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Kai swallowed hard and said, "Liang Shicheng was never in charge of the imperial examinations for selecting officials, was he...?"

"How did he manage to get his name on the list of successful candidates in the imperial examination?"

“Well… although my father has made some mistakes occasionally, it doesn’t warrant such a proclamation…” Zhao Kai still had to say.

Su Wu retorted, "Why don't you ask about the enemy cavalry's kowtow to the capital, and how they immediately fled to hide? Why don't you ask about their narrow-mindedness and arrogance? Why don't you ask about their false claim of being a Daoist ruler? Why don't you ask about their private affairs with prostitutes? Don't you ask about the truth of these things?"

Why ask? Isn't it obvious?

Zhao Kai was speechless and about to lower his head when he suddenly spoke again: "Many are misled by treacherous officials. As long as we eliminate the treacherous officials, my father, with his benevolence, will surely be a sage ruler!"

"Was the Flower and Stone Tribute a result of treacherous officials? Or was it his own doing? Was his escape from the enemy his doing, or was it what his subjects wanted? I... never mind, I won't say any more. Just look at these armored soldiers. If they weren't filled with resentment, would they have charged like this today? Look at the armies of the world. How many troops have gathered in Jinghu? Which one is truly willing to die for him? Just now, which one didn't flee as fast as they could? And what about the million soldiers and civilians of Bianjing? Which one truly cares about the city falling? Which one is truly willing to die for your father's loyalty? I've traveled from Bianjing to here, a thousand miles away. Along the way, has anyone blocked my path? Even your father and son have become a laughingstock, a father who is unkind and a son who is unfilial. Your Highness, you are a scholar. You have read thousands of years of history books, from the autumn moon and spring breeze to the Song Dynasty. With your father, the dynasty's fate has run its course..."

Su Wu was earnestly discussing this matter with the Crown Prince. Zhao Kai was actually a reasonable person, and Su Wu hoped to persuade him. It wouldn't matter if he couldn't persuade him, but it would be best if he could...

Zhao Kai lowered his head again, placed his hands on his knees, and remained silent.

Su Wu continued, “The change of imperial artifacts is a common occurrence since ancient times. When the Mandate of Heaven is lost, it has always happened in such a grand and sweeping way. You came to this battle, you fought, and you did your best. You have seen the result. When I go to Hanyang, I will have no more enemies to contend with. From now on, you may no longer be the Crown Prince, let alone the future Emperor. But you are well-versed in poetry and literature, truly a scholar of exceptional talent. In truth, whether you become the Emperor or the Crown Prince, you will ultimately serve the people of China. With your talent in poetry and literature, even if you don't become a general or a prime minister, you can still govern a region well, improve the land and its people, and win their hearts. They will be grateful to you, and temples will be built in your honor. Wouldn't that be a beautiful story in the history books? If your achievements are outstanding, and you truly become a general or a prime minister in the future, wouldn't your descendants write about you in great detail?”

"I am Zhao..." Zhao Kai's face was covered in tears. He had a family and a country, and he still had a family.

“You are a man of the Han people, a descendant of the Chinese nation! This is the true teaching of the sages! Your father is guilty, but the guilt does not lie with you,” Su Wu interrupted.

If we're talking about representative figures of the scholar-officials of the time, we can go back to the likes of Ouyang Xiu, who certainly qualifies.

But at this moment, no matter what great Confucian scholars or famous figures are called, in this era, Confucianism no longer has such a pillar of strength.

But as the top scholar in the imperial examination, the son of the emperor, and the crown prince, Zhao Kai can be regarded as a bellwether for Confucianism in this era.

If he could discern the meaning of this sutra, or even without him discerning it, he could simply utter a word, or even without speaking, and he could do something...

Its significance is extraordinary, which is the real reason why Su Wu had such a conversation with Zhao Kai at this time.

If this succeeds, not only will others be speechless, but even someone like Yue Fei would be unable to say anything. They wouldn't even feel the slightest discomfort...

This will greatly reduce the social governance costs for Su Wu in the future; it's just a matter of success or failure!

At least, at this moment, Su Wu truly thought highly of Zhao Kai.

Although Zhao Kai did not display any particularly brave or fierce demeanor, nor did he actually draw his sword in a show of defiance, he did not actually attempt to fight to the death.

But Zhao Kai really came, he really stood opposite Su Wu, he didn't run away in a panic. Many new recruits are really nothing special when they first go into battle.

Zhao Kai turned around, his face streaked with tears, and looked at Su Wu, saying succinctly, "You're talking nonsense! I don't believe you! You're a traitor! History is full of traitors just like you!"

Su Wu was slightly disappointed. He nodded, stood up, patted his backside, and said, "Let's see what fate has in store. I will neither kill you nor imprison you. Just wait and see what kind of world it will become!"

Zhao Kai has read too many books, so he's not really a threat. Even if you let him run around, he won't make a fuss.

Of course, if Zhao Kai really wanted to make a fuss, Su Wu wouldn't hold back and would just consider Zhao Kai as hopeless and courting death.

He also said, "Your Highness, aren't the Liu family of Han now subjects? Aren't the Li family of Tang now subjects? Why can't your Zhao family of Song be subjects? Is there really such a thing as a thousand autumns and ten thousand generations recorded in history? I'll go first, and the army will leave later for Hanyang. Your Highness the Crown Prince will come with us!"

With that, Su Wu left, having said all he needed to say.

Zhao Kai was caught in a dilemma, and the outcome of that dilemma was beyond Su Wu's control.

Su Wu left, but Zhao Kai remained seated in the same spot, sometimes staring blankly to the left, sometimes looking listlessly to the right.

Several soldiers were guarding him in the distance... but they didn't come forward to disturb him.

How could it not be a mix of emotions? The biggest dilemma in my heart was the conflict between the legacy of our ancestors and the general trend of the world.

Su Wu was giving instructions: "Someone, quickly send this proclamation to Fuzhou City. All the bookstores in the city should print this document as soon as possible and send it to the main camp in Xiangyang. Instruct Wu Yuhou to distribute it throughout the country."

Su Wu decided not to wait any longer, not even for Wang Fu's second version. This version was already quite good, so he decided to go with it.

At this moment, we must rely on the imperial system to spread the proclamation throughout the land, and also to Hanyang and Jiangxia.

This time, the emperor can no longer be allowed to run around. Su Wu cannot cross the Yangtze River to Jiangxia for the time being. The emperor may still run away, so he will also run to Jiangxia. No one can cut off Su Wu's retreat. Let's see if the people of the world will listen to this proclamation. Some soldiers or righteous people will change their minds and might capture the emperor on the spot.

Go forward to Dang Quanzhi's camp and get a hot meal.

There was no need for any fancy maneuvering or collusion. The Northwest Army did not come with the Crown Prince, and the Jinghu troops collapsed at the first contact and were unwilling to fight.

The situation is now clear!

The fact that the Crown Prince was chosen as the vanguard speaks volumes...

Su Wu was also greatly relieved, which is why he was in a hurry to issue a proclamation to the world.

The defeated soldiers of Jinghu were also fleeing, their first thought being to get back to Hanyang as quickly as possible, to find a ferry crossing and boats to cross the Yangtze River and go home. They hoped to hide, for fear that the King of Yan would blame them for something and arrest them, or even behead them and display their heads to the public...

They said they wouldn't come to fight, but I had no choice... I insisted they come... and they even talked about promotions and rewards, about the Privy Council producing generals and ministers...

This time, I escaped with my life, but I don't know if I can hide from them when I go back...

Su Wu slowly entered Dang Quan's camp, where Dang Quan warmly welcomed and served him. Jiang Bai was overjoyed and kept praising him...

The routed soldiers continued their march through the night, abandoning all organization and retreat to their camps. They headed straight for the docks and ferry crossings. By the morning of the next day, countless soldiers had reached the Hanyang docks, scrambling to board boats. The people of Jinghu were more than a handful of people who knew how to navigate boats…

The Hanyang Wharf also had its own garrison, and they were all stunned by what they saw.

The general himself ordered, "Quickly, stop them!"

The soldiers stepped forward to stop them, holding their spears horizontally to block their way, but they were instantly broken through.

The general shouted, "What's going on? What's going on? Are you all out of your minds? Robbing an official ship is a capital offense!"

One of the soldiers replied, "You should run too! Our army of over ten thousand men was routed in a single encounter with the Prince of Yan. If you stay here, you'll only be able to wait for the Prince of Yan's army to arrive, and then we'll see if you're still alive!"

This soldier probably had never seen what a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood looked like, and thought that what he saw was indeed a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

"What? It collapsed so quickly? Didn't they just set off?" The general was stunned, as if the crown prince had just led the troops there yesterday.

It was clearly not yesterday, but the day before yesterday.

Countless defeated soldiers rushed toward the ships, and the general, realizing what was happening, shouted, "Get off, get off! If you don't get off, I won't be so polite!"

"Kill me if you want, it's all the same whether you kill me or the Prince of Yan kills me, I'm just going home!"

Many soldiers were already untying the sailboat's mooring lines, and many others were going to board the ship in groups.

The general had just drawn his sword to intimidate people, but upon hearing these words, he was at a loss for what to do with the sword in his hand.

Probably... he's never killed anyone in his life.

Perhaps... he didn't really want to push things to the brink, after all, they were all from the same hometown...

Then one of the general's men came and asked, "General, what should we do?"

The general glanced around; those around him all looked utterly panicked…

The general blurted out instinctively, "The Prince of Yan isn't a murderer, is he? Everyone in the army says he's incredibly righteous and kind to his soldiers. How could he... have mountains of corpses and seas of blood..."

"What should we do?" The soldier beside him was truly panicked. He thought that the Prince of Yan's army must be coming soon. Would they really have to take up their swords and go into battle?

There was a ship over there whose mooring lines had come to a halt; it had left the dock and was now in the waterway.

Meanwhile, the general was still trying to calm them down: "Don't panic, don't be alarmed. Wait a bit, let's see what the superior decides... We still have boats, we have boats..."

News of the crushing defeat, with its mountains of corpses and seas of blood, spread like wildfire among the various armies in Hanyang as the routed soldiers returned in all directions…

Wang Yuan sat calmly in the Hanyang government office. The news arrived quickly, but he was neither alarmed nor surprised. It was something he had expected. The only thing he hadn't anticipated was how fast it was happening. He had only gone there the day before yesterday, and the defeated soldiers had already returned this morning. The news had already spread...

Ugh……

Wang Yuan slowly got up and headed towards Turtle Mountain outside the city. Whether he would die or not, he certainly wouldn't die, so there was no rush. His brows were tightly furrowed; there was only one problem: seeing the Emperor soon would be a huge problem...

Wang Yuan had to remain calm. He couldn't afford to panic and run away; after all, he couldn't afford to ruin his reputation at this moment...

Looking up at the stone steps of Turtle Mountain, the blazing sun shone down from the top, dazzlingly bright... Wang Yuan wiped the sweat from his forehead, and without putting on his armor, lifted his skirt and slowly went up again.

Having climbed most of the way up, Wang Yuan heard the sounds of orchestral music coming from above. He paused briefly to rest, finding the weather unbearably hot, and let out a sigh…

It wasn't that Wang Yuan had no desire to do anything, but he was simply left with no other choice!

Many images inevitably come to mind: Su Wu, the Prince of Yan, clad in iron armor, his face veiled by a helmet, riding a tall horse, gripping a long spear tightly, charging into battle, moving back and forth among thousands of soldiers as if they were nothing, lifting his veil and letting out a hearty laugh...

Actually... it's a comparison, an unconscious comparison, comparing the Prince of Yan and the Emperor...

She lifted her skirt again and stepped forward.

Once we get up there, we wait here while they report to us there.

After the report was dissipated, the orchestra paused briefly before ceasing its music.

The Emperor, seemingly speaking from his dais, remarked: "The music of Hanyang and Jiangxia is far inferior. It inevitably reminds me of Bai Juyi's poems from the past, which are harsh and difficult to listen to. Bai Juyi was the Sima of Jiangzhou back then. Where is Jiangzhou? It's also on the banks of the Yangtze River, not far downstream. Three hundred years have passed, yet Bai Juyi's words still hold true..."

Qin Hui, standing nearby, was praising, "Your Majesty truly has the world in your heart. You handle all matters of the past and present with ease. I am far inferior to you!"

Wang Yuan watched from afar as the emperor approached. He should have hurried to greet him, but his steps were slow, showing no sign of the urgency of the army's defeat...

If he were in the Northwest, upon hearing news of the army's defeat and needing to report it, he would crawl as fast as he could, even if he had to use both his hands and feet!

Before they even got close, the emperor was already asking, "Chief Steward Wang, what brings you here?"

The emperor clearly hadn't expected news of the war to arrive so quickly, and thus managed to steal a half-day of peace from his busy schedule...

What was it in Wang Yuan's heart? I also thought of the poem, Du Mu of the Tang Dynasty, "The courtesan knows not the sorrow of a fallen nation, still singing 'The Flowers of the Rear Courtyard' across the river."

Wang Yuan then spoke frankly: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince's army has been defeated and routed for miles. The defeated soldiers have already reached Hanyang City!"

The emperor was stunned. The slight smile on his face just moments before froze. Before the smile faded, surprise was already evident.

"Don't spread rumors! They're just leaving, aren't they going on a military expedition?" These were Qin Hui's shocked words from the side.

Wang Yuan's face was bitter, his brows furrowed deeply, and he sighed softly, his voice not loud: "Absolutely true!"

"How is this possible? This...this...absolutely not...the greater good of the world, this..." This was Qin Hui, his figure already spinning in circles.

Before, he actually believed; no matter what, although he was somewhat worried, he still believed...

They believed that the hearts of the people still belonged to Zhao, that the Song Dynasty had nurtured scholars for 160 years, and that Su Wu had only relied on power and influence to win them over. In reality, the morale of the army was extremely low...

That's why Su Wu was in such a hurry, personally leading the vanguard across the Han River...

At this moment, reality is too unbelievable, and Wang Yuan's expression and words must not be a lie.

Qin Hui turned around and asked, "How did you lose? Did Su Wu use some kind of trickery to launch a sneak attack? Was the Crown Prince caught off guard? It was...it was..."

Wang Yuan shook his head: "The two armies faced each other head-on, and the battle was a bloodbath with mountains of corpses..."

"This...this..." Qin Hui's world may be collapsing, but everything is alright, right? Is there anything wrong with the Song Dynasty? What's going on?

If there really was a problem, it was only that the emperor had slightly let down the soldiers...

"The traitor has been winning people's hearts for a long time. He must have many trusted confidants around him who have crossed the river to join him. That must be the case!" These were the Emperor's words. Although the Emperor's face was still extremely shocked and his eyes were blank, his words were firm and resolute.

"Don't panic, don't panic..." the emperor said again.

He continued, "I have hundreds of thousands of troops. We were defeated in one battle, but only because we had too few men on the battlefield. Yes, yes, too few men on the battlefield. We just need to spread out our hundreds of thousands of troops to meet the enemy and wipe out the traitor's confidants and cripples in one fell swoop. That will be enough, that will be enough!"

As he spoke, the emperor stepped forward and said, "Gather the troops! The rebels are not far off. Send out the whole army to meet them, and we will surely win!"

As he spoke, he moved forward, gesturing with his hand, and said to Wang Yuan, "Quickly, beat the drums to gather the troops, and launch a full-scale attack! The rebels are few in number; this is the perfect opportunity!"

Wang Yuan didn't speak, but nodded.

The emperor was already descending the stone steps, and Wang Yuan set off to follow. The emperor was in good health and walked very fast, and Wang Yuan, who had been serving in the Han army for many years, also kept up quickly.

The emperor was unaware of this yet. The trees on Turtle Mountain blocked the view, and only the pavilion offered a clear view. So, let's go down Turtle Mountain and take a look...

Boats were already setting sail on the shore, and soldiers were already rowing away. Panic was spreading everywhere, and soldiers and officers were heading to the riverbank without orders.

It's already starting to get chaotic...

There's no need to go down to the foot of Turtle Mountain. Halfway up the mountain, there are fewer towering trees by the roadside, and the view suddenly becomes wide and expansive. Looking out, the banks of the Yangtze River are filled with people and soldiers everywhere.

Of course, military orders would not come soon. No matter how many ships there were, they could not transport tens of thousands of people at once. If someone grabbed first, others would not be able to resist grabbing later. Once the grabbing started, wouldn't it cause a chain reaction and everyone want to go?
And look at the waterways along the shore, where countless sails have been raised in the wind...

Mountains of corpses and seas of blood—this phrase, even spoken casually, is truly terrifying…

The emperor stopped in his tracks, pointed, and asked, "What's going on? Why are there soldiers everywhere? Why is everything in disarray?"

The question was directed to Wang Yuan, who replied, "The armies of Jinghu have broken camp and are fleeing..."

"Why is this happening? Why don't you hurry up and stop them from taking control?" The emperor was furious.

Wang Yuan shook his head and slowly said, "Your Majesty, I am powerless to help..."

If it had been earlier, and they hadn't come to report, but instead led the Northwest Army to intercept and gather the forces, they might have been able to control the situation.

But at this moment, there really is nothing we can do...

Wang Yuan was a military strategist and understood that when the Jurchens marched from Yanyun into Hebei and then into the capital region, their hundreds of thousands of troops collapsed in the same way. Who could possibly regroup them?
Besides, what's the point of gathering them up?

"You...you are not also an accomplice of the traitors?" the emperor asked sternly.

Wang Yuan had no way to refute it, nor was there any point in refutating it...

Qin Hui spoke up again, "Your Majesty, please calm down. There are still 18,000 elite troops in the Northwest. Have Chief Steward Wang gather them quickly to protect them!"

Qin Hui's face had already turned deathly pale, but his survival instincts were still intact, and he knew where his last resort lay.

The emperor was reminded of this and immediately said, "Yes, yes, yes, quickly gather the Western Army!"

"As you command!" Wang Yuan nodded, but then asked, "Your Majesty, after gathering the troops, where will we go?"

"We shall go to war!" the emperor declared firmly.

Wang Yuan asked, "If I go to fight, where will Your Majesty go?"

"I..." The emperor looked flustered, glancing at Qin Hui, then at the water and the shore, and said in one breath, "I will first cross the river to Jiangxia City. Commander Wang, fight bravely against the bandits and report back with victory!"

Qin Hui chimed in, "Yes, yes, Your Majesty is of inestimable value. You should cross the river as soon as possible to oversee and command from your position. This is the safest course of action!"

Qin Hui's subconscious thought was his own safety. Crossing the river to Jiangxia would be much safer, since even if Wang Yuan was defeated again, Su Wu would not have a boat to cross such a wide river for the time being.

Wang Yuan sighed inwardly, bowed deeply, and said, "Very well!"

"Minister Wang is truly a pillar of the nation, loyal and righteous. In times of crisis, he will surely relieve my worries and save the country from collapse. I am deeply grateful and hereby promote Minister Wang to Commander of the Palace Guard. I hope Minister Wang will achieve a resounding victory and wipe out the traitors!"

The Emperor's words are saying...

"Thank you for your boundless grace, Your Majesty!" Wang Yuan bowed in gratitude.

But Wang Yuan also looked at the situation on the riverbank and wondered, how is the emperor going to cross the river? Is it even possible for him to seize a boat?

Perhaps the emperor never thought about this question... Perhaps he felt that a dignified emperor should have a boat to cross the river.

Wang Yuan was still thinking when he saw the emperor's footsteps rushing down the steps, and Qin Hui immediately followed, already standing in front of Wang Yuan.

Wang Yuan stood there, seemingly unhurried, his mind filled with countless thoughts...

For a moment I thought about it, but why didn't the emperor ask a single question about whether the crown prince was alive or dead?
Why doesn't the emperor pay any attention to the ministers who come with him?
Oh... and the emperor has several sons, all of whom are in Hanyang at the moment. Why don't you ask them how they got there?
Ugh……

Wang Yuan lifted his skirt again and went down the stone steps to gather 18,000 soldiers from the Northwest, ready to fight the Yan bandits to the death...

It's hard to tell who's willing to fight and who's not...

Old Master Zhong passed away at a good time, at the ripe age of seventy-five, his passing is a peaceful end to all things...

As for Master Zhong, he stayed indoors in Xiangyang and refused to come to Hanyang no matter what...

Liu Yanqing, too, is hiding in prison, doing nothing else.

Everything's fine now, except for leaving all the difficulties to Wang Yuan...

He, Wang Yuan, became the one who ultimately caused the loss of his country...

Go, go! The road is full of fleeing soldiers, and chaos reigns everywhere. He rides off, enters the city, sits in his office, beats the drum to gather the troops, and awaits the arrival of all the generals…

(End of this chapter)