Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 425 Advancing or retreating, it's all the same?
The army continued its march, and the issue of manpower for transportation was clearly resolved.

The money, provisions, and military equipment were unloaded in Guangzhou, transported to Wuzhou, and then from Wuzhou to Yongzhou. This journey was actually not difficult...

The real challenge lies in transporting the goods from Yongzhou to Dali, a journey of over a thousand li, with difficult terrain. This time, we must rely entirely on the help of the various barbarian tribes…

Su Wu had a total of only 30,000 soldiers, and he also selected 6,000 or 7,000 barbarians as combat troops or auxiliary troops. It was a good thing that Su Wu controlled the number; otherwise, 20,000 or 30,000 barbarians would have been no problem. It was also a method of spreading the spoils evenly, selecting some from each barbarian tribe...

Before Su Wu's troops had even truly entered Dali, they encountered a Dali delegation—Gao Liangcheng's delegation—in a place called Ziqi...

Therefore, Gao Liangcheng was brought before Su Wu to meet him.

When Gao Liangcheng arrived in front of Su Wu, he was clearly nervous and shocked. When he set off, he thought Su Wu would be in Wuzhou or even back in Guangzhou. He never thought Su Wu would be in Yongzhou. Moreover, at this moment, Su Wu's army had already reached the border of Dali.

With the Emperor of Great Yan in front of him, Gao Liangcheng simply stepped forward and bowed deeply, saying, "Greetings to the Emperor of the Supreme Kingdom, long live Your Majesty!"

Surrounding Su Wu were a group of fierce military generals. It was a makeshift tent that had been erected to meet Gao Liangcheng. Su Wu sat in the center and sized up Gao Liangcheng, who was remarkably young...

Before meeting him, Su Wu already knew his identity: he was the current leader of the Gao family...

Su Wu asked, "Is Zhao Gou in Dali?"

Gao Liangcheng simply nodded: "Your Majesty, he is in Yangjumei City."

Su Wu was somewhat puzzled: "Why didn't you keep it a secret for him?"

Gao Liangcheng quickly replied, "Your Majesty, I know that this is a matter concerning the Central Plains, a great nation. How could a small foreign country like Dali possibly get involved?"

Su Wu was somewhat troubled. Could it be that the entire Dali Kingdom was thinking the same thing? Had they sent Zhao Gou here before the main army even arrived?
How can we do that?
Su Wu quickly asked, "What does your king think?"

"Your Majesty, the King sent a foreign envoy to pay homage with the same intention: he does not wish to interfere in the affairs of the superior nation! He desires to maintain friendly relations with the Central Plains for generations to come!" At this moment, Gao Liangcheng still understood the importance of the bigger picture...

"Really?" Su Wu asked again. Wouldn't that be troublesome? If they really delivered it, and Su Wu went to fight, it would be morally problematic. He would then have to find another excuse, and he might not even be able to find such a good one.

When Gao Liangcheng took this question seriously, he was slightly taken aback. How could he not feel guilty? At such a young age, his composure on the surface was still lacking.

Su Wu keenly sensed something amiss and immediately pressed on with another question: "I'm afraid your king doesn't think that way, does he?"

Gao Liangcheng quickly added, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. It is true that Dali is located in a remote area, and news about the Central Plains is often out of reach. The King is not yet aware of the details, so he thought that he should first treat Zhao Gou with courtesy and send an official to pay homage to Your Majesty in order to know the details of various matters so that he can make a decision later..."

Su Wu felt relieved. Nothing else mattered except for one important sentence: the King of Dali was treating Zhao Gou with courtesy, and that was enough.

Su Wu then asked, "Now that you've seen me, what will you do when you get back?"

"We should bind Zhao Gou and bring him before His Majesty!" Gao Liangcheng knew this was the only way.

Along the way, how could one not see the strength and power of the Great Yan Emperor's army?

Although there are only 30,000 people, we should avoid fighting if possible. Why fight when there are only one person?

Dali really can't afford any more disruption...

The army of Great Yan has already arrived here, and is only five or six hundred li away from Shanshan Prefecture...

“Then you should go back quickly. My army is stationed here and will wait for your news in a few days. This is the etiquette of a superior country. Go and tell your king. Don’t say that I didn’t warn you…” Su Wu said earnestly.

"Your Majesty, please wait a moment. News will arrive in seventeen or eighteen days at most." Gao Liangcheng was clearly somewhat nervous; the fate of the nation rested on his shoulders, on this very moment...

Su Wu simply waved his hand, watched as Gao Liangcheng bowed deeply, and left...

Su Wu originally planned to stay here for a few days before launching an attack. He needed a strong rear base, so he needed to build a camp in Ziqi to store food and supplies. This was a basic operation for launching an expedition.

They were also waiting for the grain, fodder, and weapons to arrive one after another. They needed to stockpile them, to stockpile a relatively safe quantity, so that it would be convenient for advancing and retreating, and even for dividing troops and all other deployments...

One more thing, further ahead, there are still the various tribes in the mountains and forests. The tribes in Dali are not much different from those in Yongzhou.

Now there is another thing to do, which is to contact the various tribes in eastern Dali. Not long ago, the Dali Kingdom rebelled. At first, there were only a few tribes, but later it developed into thirty-seven tribes. These tribes are mainly from eastern Dali.

How can we not keep in touch? How can we not use it?
Su Wu also took a liking to someone, Gao Liangcheng, who, despite his youth, was truly insightful.

In the future, wouldn't Dali be on the same path? Let Gao Liangcheng be the first military commissioner. Let him serve for a few years, stabilize the situation, send officials to the prefectures here, reform the army, and then transfer Gao Liangcheng to the capital to serve as a new military commissioner…

Thus, the handover proceeded smoothly, and the regulations were established... From then on, the route through Dali was no different from any other route in the world...

Take one step, think several steps ahead...

As for how to get hold of this high-quality product, that is the problem...

However, flies will land on eggs with cracks, so let's see where the cracks are in Dali...

It just needs to ferment. If the fermentation inside Dali isn't enough, Su Wu's army will eventually have to go, and then we'll use our methods...

At this moment, who else could Su Wu look to?

How could it not be to go see Wu Yong?

Wu Yong, being the most perceptive, had already grasped the situation. Before Su Wu could speak, he stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, how about I accompany Gao Liangcheng to Yangjumei City?"

"Huh?" Su Wu was still surprised. Was Wu Yong really that fearless of death?
"Your Majesty, rest assured, I dare to go, and I will certainly not fall into danger..." Wu Yong said again.

"Tell me..." Su Wu listened attentively, eager to see how this fellow manipulated people's hearts.

"Your Majesty, I do understand one thing: if war breaks out, the more fiercely and ineffectively Your Majesty fights, the less likely I am to die!" Wu Yong said with a smug look on his face.

"Oh? Is that so?" Su Wu asked with a smile, already understanding that Wu Yong's reasoning was correct.

The Great Yan of the Central Plains was a superior nation. If Wu Yong couldn't defeat Su Wu in his punishment, his life would be entirely in Su Wu's hands. But if Su Wu was unstoppable, Wu Yong might truly survive...

Wu Yong chuckled and said, "Your Majesty, even if I die, I will die for my country and have no regrets!"

Su Wu listened with a slight smile, knowing in his heart that this fellow... wanted to advance...

He was always missing this opportunity. Wu Yong's rank was already very high, but he always lacked a real chance to shine. Wu Yong did this to gamble on this opportunity...

Clearly, Wu Yong also wanted to announce Ma's appointment as prime minister...

"Then how will you get there?" Su Wu asked.

"Your Majesty, it is a simple matter. Since they have come to pay tribute and bring many gifts, how can I, as your subject, acting on behalf of the Emperor to proclaim his power and virtue, not bestow some rewards upon them? Only in this way can the majesty of our superior nation be demonstrated!"

Wu Yong bowed deeply...

Wu Song, standing to the side, laughed and said, "Scholar Wu is truly full of tricks..."

Su Wu waved his hand: "Alright, then you take a hundred or so men and go to Yangjumei City together first."

Wu Yong bowed respectfully and said, "As you command!"

As for what Wu Yong went to do?
The young heir of a powerful and influential family, and a ruler who has been frustrated for generations.

How could there not be some conflict?
With Wu Yong by Gao Liangcheng's side, how could he allow such a situation to truly be peaceful and harmonious?
Su Wu also thought that Cao Cheng might be a threat, what if Cao Cheng killed Wu Yong or something...

On second thought, with Gao Liangcheng around, Wu Yong really wouldn't die. The Gao family had both soldiers and provisions, so how could they let Wu Yong be killed by Cao Cheng?

Wu Yong himself must have thought of this as well...

Then it depends on Wu Yong's abilities. Su Wu just needs to focus on storing grain and building fortifications in Ziqi, and making contact with the various barbarian tribes...

Preparing for war is often more important than fighting on the battlefield; how could Su Wu be negligent?
He simply summoned the officials from Yongzhou he had brought, along with the leaders of the various local tribes, and some local Han gentry...

The meeting is about who recently rebelled. It's the Yeju tribe and the Luoxiong tribe within Dali territory. These two tribes were the main forces that rebelled earlier, and they also fought their way into Shanshan Prefecture...

Now, however, they have suffered heavy losses and are hiding in the mountains, living in fear, still worried about the Dali Kingdom's army coming to retaliate...

That makes things easier. We can lure them with benefits, like giving them money and supplies, and then providing a pretext to avenge them...

If we get these two tribes on board first, and things go smoothly once they start contacting the other tribes...

In fact, there was only one city gate in Shanshan Prefecture, Shicheng County. The Dali Kingdom still used the name "county". In terms of administrative system, it had prefectures, states and counties, which looked very chaotic...

It's actually quite simple. Prefectures and counties are at the same level, with eight prefectures and four counties. Provinces, on the other hand, are much smaller, so there's nothing complicated about them...

Even in the Dali Kingdom, there were not many real cities. Often, a prefecture or county would only have one or two cities, but the territory was not small. Under its rule, there were tribes, and the tribes only had some forts or even villages. There were no real cities to speak of.

The country has two centers: Shanshan Prefecture and Yangjumei City. One is located beside Dianchi Lake, and the other beside Erhai Lake. Both places have vast flat farmlands and are rich in natural resources...

As for the other places, they are almost all mountains.

The general situation is this: as long as we control Shanshan Prefecture and Yangjumei City, as well as the roads between the two places, and even the roads leading to Shu and Guangxi, we will control the distribution of all the resources in the eight prefectures and four counties, and thus control all the surrounding barbarian tribes.

The barbarian tribes also need to exchange goods...

In this way, influence can be spread far and wide, and governance is not so difficult... The method of governance in Yongzhou is actually based on a similar principle.

Roads, nodes on roads, cities in grain-producing mountain areas—this is what constitutes rule.

Su Wu was slowly studying the map...

Over there, Wu Yong had already spurred his horse to follow beside Gao Liangcheng. The horse was fast but not galloping, and the two were still exchanging words.

Gao Liangcheng wasn't opposed to Wu Yong accompanying him back. Why? He was afraid that if he went back alone, he wouldn't be able to persuade King Duan Heyu. He was truly afraid that Duan Heyu would act unilaterally and cause a major conflict with the Great Yan of the Central Plains...

Even if we can stop them this time, they will come again next time. What about next year? What about the year after? Even if we can stop them all, wouldn't we be fighting every year?
This time we came from Guangnan West Road, next time from Tongchuan Prefecture or Chengdu Prefecture, or perhaps from Guangxi, or from Chengdu or Tongchuan... several routes at once...

Wouldn't this mean there would be no peace forever?

How could the country have fallen into such a state?

As for whether the Song Dynasty will be restored, that's a matter...

Look at the Emperor of Great Yan, he has personally come to Guangnan and led his troops to the border of Dali. If Great Song could be restored, this would be the best opportunity. Logically speaking, the world should be in chaos, the Central Plains should be engulfed in flames of war, and the Emperor of Great Yan should be rushing back to the Central Plains...

But the Emperor of Great Yan did not leave in haste. The Great Song Dynasty... is beyond saving...

How intelligent is Gao Liangcheng?
But then Wu Yong spoke up, saying, "The Kingdom of Dali is a beautiful place!"

Gao Liangcheng, a man well-versed in classical texts, also replied, "The Central Plains are vast, and everywhere you look there are beautiful and delightful sights..."

Wu Yong waved his hand and said, "That's different... The scenery of Dali is beautiful because of its overlapping mountains, lush greenery, and clusters of flowers. It's like spring all year round, and it's breathtakingly beautiful..."

Gao Liangcheng nodded in agreement: "That's true. I've only heard that in the Central Plains, the grass and trees turn yellow in autumn, the winter is bleak, it's hard to keep warm when it's cold, and it's hard to avoid the heat when you take off your clothes..."

"Eh? Has Young Master Gao ever been to the Central Plains?" Wu Yong suddenly asked.

Gao Liangcheng shook his head: "I haven't... I've always wanted to go to the Central Plains, and I'm just waiting for the day I can go to the capital to pay homage..."

“Then I must go and see it. The Central Plains has its own unique features, a flat land that stretches as far as the eye can see, unlike here, where mountains and forests block the view... There are also grasslands, the sea, and the water towns of Jiangnan... The list goes on and on…”

Wu Yong, being a man of wide knowledge, was somewhat intoxicated by his own success.

"Most of it is reading. I've also read the Commentary on the Waterways Classic, which is very inspiring..." Gao Liangcheng nodded in agreement. Young people often have the ambition to travel far and wide.

“Reading is good, reading is good… Reading allows you to know about the world, and reading allows you to know about people’s hearts.” Wu Yong was already leading the conversation.

"Yes, things in the world are difficult, and things in people's hearts are difficult..." Gao Liangcheng really had a somewhat humble look on his face. How could it not be difficult?
His uncle's death in battle, seemingly a great achievement, left the entire family in a state of unease. He was only in his early twenties, yet already the pillar of the family...

Who can not know the thoughts of the king?

And what about the Yang and Dong families? Aren't they all eyeing us covetously?
They were already surrounded by wolves, walking on thin ice. One wrong step and the Gao family's generations-old foundation would be destroyed in an instant...

Sometimes I wonder why my great-grandfather returned the throne to the Duan family twenty years ago.
Gao Liangcheng can understand some of the principles involved in this matter, such as the idea that under pressure, taking a step back can lead to a brighter future...

But how can one achieve great things with timidity and hesitation? The Gao family has abundant resources, provisions, and troops; why can't they resolve all the potential threats one by one...?

If these things had been done well twenty years ago, how could we be walking on thin ice today?
Twenty-year-olds are living such stressful lives...

How could Wu Yong remain silent? "To be honest, this suppression of the rebellion was all thanks to the Gao family. However, as history goes on, it's always been the case that once the rabbit is caught, the hunting dog is cooked; once the birds are gone, the bow is put away..."

Gao Liangcheng frowned and said, "Scholar's words do not suit my mind. My Gao family has been loyal and virtuous officials of Dali for generations!"

"Yes, that makes sense. The loyalty and righteousness of the Gao family are witnessed by countless people. Even when I first heard about it, I found it unbelievable! Unprecedented in history! It is worthy of our respect!"

Wu Yong's words made Gao Liangcheng's expression much better, and he continued, "Merit should ideally remain in the merit book, but there's also the ancient saying, 'High merit overshadows the ruler.' Why has my emperor come to this point, inevitably falling victim to this very saying? Helplessly, he's been forced onto this path, with no turning back. Many paths never lead to a return... It's because the Song Dynasty has lost the hearts of the people, thus losing the mandate of heaven! Perhaps everything in this world, every drink and every bite, is predetermined by heaven..."

Wu Yong sighed deeply, referring to the events in the Central Plains.

Gao Liangcheng casually flattered him, saying, "His Majesty the Emperor of Great Yan is the chosen one of Heaven!"

But looking at Gao Liangcheng's expression, it was indeed profound. How could the affairs of the Central Plains not also be matters of the Great Court?

Wu Yong suddenly fell silent again, only sighing softly and occasionally urging the horse's hooves to gallop...

The two walked forward in silence...

For a long time...

Wu Yong suddenly said, "Young Master Gao..."

"Ok?"

"Is your king really going to do things his own way?" Wu Yong asked.

Gao Liangcheng waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, my king was only hesitant for a moment. Once the angel arrived, he suddenly understood."

"That would be wonderful, I hope so!" Wu Yong nodded and went to praise the man again: "It's all thanks to Young Master Gao's dedication to the country, otherwise my Emperor would have truly misunderstood. Just before, when His Majesty ascended the throne, no envoys from Dali came to congratulate him. My Emperor couldn't help but think... that Dali did not respect the superior nation, so he had some intention to punish them, to make an example of them..."

"I understand, I understand..." Gao Liangcheng nodded repeatedly, adding, "It is indeed a remote location, difficult to communicate with others, unlike Goryeo, which is nearby and well-informed..."

"Goryeo? The envoy from Goryeo hasn't arrived yet... That's why His Majesty wants to make an example of them..." Wu Yong said.

"Ah? If Goryeo doesn't come, then they are truly guilty!" Gao Liangcheng immediately chimed in, not without thinking, "Isn't Goryeo just a chicken too? Why kill Dali instead of Goryeo?"

There were also Jiaozhi, Ryukyu, Japan... and Tibet in Qinghai, and various Uyghur tribes...

How come Dali is considered a chicken?
The problem lies with... Zhao Gou!
Why choose to travel to Dali when there are plenty of other places to go?

"Take it slow. The tribes of the grasslands have already petitioned to honor the Heavenly Khan. The Jurchens have already submitted. The north has been pacified, and the south will be pacified as well. Then it will be Goryeo's turn..." Wu Yong simply pointed out the ways of the world.

"Dali has always admired the Central Plains and has never been a rebellious nation, so you can rest assured, Scholar!" Gao Liangcheng was truly worried, keeping his political nerves on edge at all times.

Indeed... the Dali Kingdom truly couldn't withstand any more turmoil. Shanshan Prefecture was still in ruins, awaiting slow reconstruction...

Where can war break out? He speaks of the nation, he speaks of the common people; Gao Liangcheng is deeply worried…

"Will I die on this trip to Dali?" Wu Yong suddenly asked, as if he had gone mad.

"Why do you say such things, Scholar? You are an angel, an honored guest in Dali. How could there be any concern for your safety?" Gao Liangcheng looked very nervous.

"Nothing much, I just feel uneasy, my brow is twitching. I have a feeling that going to Xuande is fraught with danger, even to my life. Since Zhao Gou is in Dali, aren't there still many rebel troops there? If the ruler of Dali can tolerate Zhao Gou and the rebel troops, won't I be in danger on my way? What if..."

Wu Yong looked flustered...

"No, no, absolutely not..." At this moment, Gao Liangcheng was practically ready to lay his heart out on Wu Yong's shoulders, his only thought being to make sure nothing went wrong.

"That's good, that's good..." Wu Yong said, but his face was still full of worry.

The more worry appeared on Wu Yong's face, the more anxious Gao Liangcheng became...

Then there was another moment of silence...

Wu Yong suddenly added, "If I go with you to Yangjumei City now, your king won't misunderstand anything, will he?"

"Huh?" Gao Liangcheng was really caught off guard and couldn't keep up with the pace, so he asked, "What misunderstanding is the scholar referring to?"

"He wouldn't... After all, he is the ruler of the country, the sovereign of a nation. Could he possibly have some misunderstanding, like... um... that I'm an outsider you invited to seize power? Or perhaps you have some private deal with His Majesty? In short, it's about your merits overshadowing the ruler, or about seizing power. Maybe I'm overthinking it. You know, we in the Central Plains have just experienced this, so we're a bit worried... After all... after all, your ancestors did such things, it's possible that people would overthink it..."

As Wu Yong spoke, he kept an eye on Gao Liangcheng's changing complexion...

Gao Liangcheng was genuinely startled by Wu Yong's words...

He had never even considered this possibility before...

This reminder at this very moment is nothing short of a thunderbolt, a sudden and profound awakening.
Suddenly, he brought back an envoy from the Great Yan, and there were Yan troops stationed outside, intending to conquer. After Gao Liangcheng returned, he also had to put on a show against the ruler of that country.

What else could this be but bringing in outside help to seize power?
Wu Yong also said, "When the time comes, you must explain things clearly to that king. You absolutely cannot have this misunderstanding... If there is such a misunderstanding, I might really lose my life in Yangjumei City! No, no!"

"Don't worry, don't worry, angel, there will be no danger like this..." Gao Liangcheng was in a bind, and he still had to comfort Wu Yong's fear of death...

"Maybe I shouldn't go? I'll turn back right away..." Wu Yong said, his face turning pale.

"Huh?" The adults were all dumbfounded.

Wu Yong reined in his horse, but immediately looked troubled and said, "How can I explain this to His Majesty? I can't just say that I was cowardly and ran back... Sigh..."

Then Wu Yong said anxiously, "How did we suddenly fall into such a predicament? Could it be that this time, advancing or retreating is also death?"

"Scholar, it can't be this bad, it can't be this bad! Scholar, please rest assured, please rest assured... You are an angel of the Kingdom, it can't be this bad!" Gao Liangcheng was truly at his wit's end...

(End of this chapter)