Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 429 Loyalty and righteousness for generations to come, unparalleled in loyalty and righteousness!

At the city gate of Yangjumei City, Gao Liangcheng stood gazing into the distance with a worried expression. Beside him stood a young man who was a bit younger than him, named Gao Zhenshou.

The two were cousins, separated by more than two generations, which was a testament to the flourishing of the Gao family.

At this moment, Gao Liangcheng had no one to discuss things with. It wasn't that there were no elders in the family, but rather that there were truly no elders who could take charge, and the other elders were all from collateral branches...

Therefore, the only thing he could do was to summon Gao Zhenshou, who was a year or two younger than him, to the city tower to discuss matters, which were of great importance to the nation and its people.

Although Gao Zhenshou was around twenty years old, he looked somewhat young, and his face still had a childish look. He asked, "Brother, why is the king doing this?"

Gao Liangcheng waved his hand: "Regardless of his reasons, it just doesn't make sense..."

"There must be a reason, right?" Gao Zhenshou was clearly also confused about many things...

Although Gao Zhenshou is young now, he will be no ordinary person in the future. The so-called thirty-seven tribes of barbarians were going to rebel together in the future. Gao Zhenshou once again quelled the rebellion. He is a brave and fierce person.

Historically, Gao Zhenshou was Gao Liangcheng's successor, although Gao Zhenshou was not much younger than Gao Liangcheng...

It is evident that the more precarious a family is, the more likely it is that young people will emerge to support it.

Gao Liangcheng sized up his younger brother and said, "You really want to know the reason?"

Gao Zhenshou nodded earnestly...

"Then let me tell you, this is a scheme by the king to weaken our Gao family. What do you think?" How could Gao Liangcheng not understand?
"This... just to weaken my Gao clan, you're going to disregard everything else? You insist on creating a formidable enemy abroad? The Central Plains have millions of people, numerous soldiers and generals, and countless riches and provisions. How can we possibly have peace in the future if we make an enemy like this? The price is far too high..."

Gao Zhenshou was somewhat skeptical...

Gao Liangcheng nodded: "Yes, I didn't expect it to be like this, but it really is... This time, the Great Yan envoy has already left, and I must go to Shanshan Prefecture immediately. The Yan army will probably move soon. If I don't go, I'm afraid the Gao family will really decline, and there will be no place for the Gao family in the Dali Kingdom..."

Gao Liangcheng might not easily understand these points, or even if he did, he might not readily believe them, after all, young people are often quite naive...

Fortunately, Wu Yong's words had been lingering in Gao Liangcheng's mind. Even now, when he matched them up one by one, they were perfectly accurate, leaving Gao Liangcheng no choice but to think about them...

"Is the king so wary of us? Countless of our fathers died in battle, and many of our family members and relatives perished on the battlefield. Among the soldiers in our fiefdoms, six or seven out of ten have died... And yet, he still insists on driving us to the brink of destruction?"

Gao Shouzhen was no longer disbelieving, but filled with endless sorrow.

Gao Liangcheng sighed, "You said it yourself, countless fathers and brothers have died, and six or seven out of ten soldiers have also perished. If you don't push us to the brink now, when will you? This... is the mind of an emperor!"

Gao Liangcheng and Gao Shouzhen were practically one civil official and the other military officer. Gao Liangcheng was a civil official, and Gao Shouzhen was a military officer. In history, these two members of the Gao family made a comeback. It was only a matter of time before they were replaced by Gao Shouzhen's son, Gao Shouchang.

In other words, for generations to come, the affairs of the Dali Kingdom remained under the control of the Gao family, and the Duan family gradually declined.

This demonstrates the exceptional abilities of both the scholar and the warrior.

Gao Shouzhen was a fierce and brave man. Although he hadn't had a chance to show his bravery on the battlefield yet, his nature was already like that. He said, "At worst, we'll rebel against them!"

Gao Liangcheng waved his hands repeatedly: "Rebellion is impossible in Yangjumei City... We have to go to Shanshan Prefecture..."

"Really?" Gao Shouzhen asked with indignation, and upon hearing his brother's words, he asked with certainty.

Gao Liangcheng did not answer, but said, "I will leave first, as I am on orders. If you come back, it means you are trying to escape on your own. Fortunately, neither of us Gao family has any major ties now. You must escape from this city within a day and come after me!"

Clearly, things had come to this point. Gao Shouzhen had not obeyed orders, but he absolutely could not stay in Yangjumei City. He also had some relatives to take with him. The two brothers secretly plotted this matter.

"I understand. Brother, you may go. I will take care of this matter within a day. Even if someone tries to stop me, I will lead the family members and fight my way out!"

Gao Shouzhen's bravery was undeniable.

"Alright, come with me to the city gate to stage a farewell scene. I'll go on my way, and you can go back. When you return, don't be in a hurry. Don't go home yet. First, find a restaurant, invite a few friends, and have a good drink until you're drunk! Have someone carry you back. Make all the arrangements by midnight tonight. Tomorrow morning, take your men out of the city, ride horses and drive your carriages. Don't bring any valuables, just your men and a few days' worth of food."

How can we not plan for high-volume production?
Gao Shouzhen understood and nodded: "Brother, you are very thoughtful. I will do as you say! If it doesn't work, we will fight our way out!"

The Gao family isn't made of clay...

"Good!" Gao Liangcheng nodded with satisfaction, went down from the city, and prepared a farewell feast.

How could the two brothers not look reluctant to part?
The Gao family has lost its pillar of support...

There are a host of crises, not just the immediate ones, but also the crises of the fiefdoms, and the crisis of demoralization within the army—all of which are chain reactions…

Who will inherit the family estate? Who will manage the fiefdom? Can it be protected? Can the officials in charge of the fiefdom be kept in check?
The people in the fiefdom are all dressed in white mourning clothes. The number of widows of soldiers who died in battle is unknown. What should be done?
Soldiers stationed far from home, having fought for a long time and suffered heavy casualties, are also homesick. They are caught in a dilemma: to be relieved of their posts, or not to be relieved...

Not to mention the political situation within Yangjumei City...

These are all problems facing Kao Liang-cheng and Kao Shou-chen, countless problems, and they don't even know where to begin in solving them...

It's as if there's a lifeline right there to the east...

Gao Liangcheng spurred his horse and galloped off. Speaking of which, the envoy from Great Yan left the day before yesterday, but he delayed for two days before setting off. Why?
Undeterred, he still felt that King Duan Heyu might change his mind...

Seeing him again and again, Duan Heyu's expression grew increasingly grim. He kept ordering Gao Liangcheng to hurry to Shanshan Prefecture to prevent the Yan army from actually entering the country!
After being urged several times to hurry up, Gao Liangcheng finally lost all his youthful innocence and gave up. Helpless, he could only plan his next move...

What else is there to say?

Just go quickly...

While Gao Liangcheng was still on his way, Wu Yong had already met the Emperor…

Fortunately, Wu Yong offered a plan that could wait three days.

And so Gao Liangcheng arrived, right below the stone city.

Wu Yong personally led Gao Liangcheng from the camp gate to the main tent.

How could Gao Liangcheng not see that there were all sorts of barbarians outside the camp? How could he not be familiar with their clothing and attire?
He frowned and asked, "Scholar, why are these barbarians from Dali stationed outside the military camp?"

How could Wu Yong not understand Gao Liangcheng's thoughts? How could he not feel good about the scene before him, with his fathers and brothers having died at the hands of these barbarians?

Wu Yong was very pleased that the person could restrain their anger and ask questions politely and respectfully.

This naturally requires appeasement...

Wu Yong exclaimed, "This is a testament to the Emperor's profound and far-sighted planning!"

"Hmm? What are you plotting?" Gao Liangcheng also asked.

"Haha..." Wu Yong laughed first, deliberately keeping Gao Liangcheng in suspense. Keeping people in suspense is a way of navigating human nature. He was waiting for Gao Liangcheng to become even angrier before explaining things clearly, which would make Gao Liangcheng feel even more moved and guilty...

Wu Yong laughed at Gao Liang's prejudice, but he was even more upset. His face turned serious, and he thought to himself, "I can't possibly work with these barbarians in the future, can I?"

With such deep-seated hatred, we can't just keep watching these barbarians gloating.
Wu Yong was still laughing: "Haha...Young master, this is a solution that will solve the problem once and for all, and a plan for the long-term stability of Dali!"

Gao Liangcheng stopped in his tracks, his anger growing increasingly unbearable. He wondered, "Should we really make peace with these enemies? Force them to make peace? Is that how we achieve lasting peace?"
Seeing Gao Liangcheng stop in his tracks, his face filled with barely suppressed anger, Wu Yong finally tried to calm him down: "I can't say much more to you... I can only tell you one thing, these barbarians of Dali don't even know what the emperor's majesty is, they're so arrogant, hahaha..."

Gao Liangcheng raised an eyebrow, overjoyed, realizing he understood something, though not quite clearly. He quickly asked, "What does the scholar mean?"

Wu Yong feigned profundity: "I must not say more, I must not say more..."

Gao Liangcheng was even more anxious: "Could it be...could it be..."

He wasn't sure what to do, and in front of the emperor, he certainly wouldn't dare to speak recklessly...

Wu Yong reached out and pulled Gao Liangcheng by the hand, leading him forward: "Come on... we can't keep His Majesty waiting..."

Gao Liangcheng is moving forward quickly, but he also wants to understand things more clearly. He's trying to organize his thoughts, but he doesn't know how to ask a specific question...

But Wu Yong murmured, "Tell me... can this kind of gratitude for revenge be exchanged for generations of loyalty and righteousness?"

Gao Liangcheng's head exploded, and he blurted out: "Amazing! Loyalty and righteousness for generations to come, unparalleled in loyalty and righteousness!"

He stopped again and bowed deeply to Wu Yong, saying, "It must be due to your kindness, Scholar. I thank you for your kindness!"

Wu Yong reached out and took his hand again: "The time is not right, the time is not right... Let's go, let's go... It would be a sin for Your Majesty to wait any longer!"

Gao Liangcheng didn't wait any longer and just kept walking forward. Looking ahead, he saw the central command tent, which looked extremely majestic. The towering dragon banner was also very imposing!

Upon entering the main tent, Gao Liangcheng bowed deeply, without raising his head, and continued bowing forward until he was almost finished. Then he knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor!"

Even at this point, Gao Liangcheng never raised his head; his forehead remained pressed against the ground.

He didn't show this much courtesy when I last visited.

There were also words: "Your Majesty is wise and discerning, and the Gao family has been wronged. We beg Your Majesty to do justice!"

Su Wu laughed heartily: "Haha... Everything is fine. Today is a joyous occasion. The country has gained a wise minister, and I have gained a wise assistant. Please rise and take a seat!"

Wu Yong helped Gao Liangcheng up and guided him to a seat.

Gao Liangcheng simply asked, "Your Majesty, why is it that those who are loyal and righteous to the country cannot find a good ruler? Why are those who devote themselves to the country unable to find a wise and enlightened one?" Su Wu nodded, "I have asked this question before, and... there is no answer. It is all due to the narrow-mindedness of people's hearts, and so it is with the ruler. Since that is the case, it is the will of Heaven!"

"It is the will of Heaven!" Gao Liangcheng nodded, finally looking up at the Emperor, and said, "Your Majesty's army has arrived here, it is the will of Heaven, the mandate of Heaven has come! May you be loyal to the Great Yan for generations to come!"

There's really no need to say much. Gao Liangcheng's presence here speaks volumes to intelligent people...

What I'm really talking about is a legal principle. According to the legal principle, the emperor of the Central Plains, the emperor of the superior country, has the mandate of heaven for Dali!
Su Wu stood up and said only one thing: "You lead the way, first into Shicheng, then to Shanchan Mansion!"

"I am willing to be Your Majesty's vanguard, even if it means dying without regret! I will go and take the city for Your Majesty!" Gao Liangcheng stood up, bowed, and stepped back without saying anything more.

Go and open the gates of that stone city for the Emperor of Great Yan!
Once Gao Liangcheng had left, Wu Yong said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, everything has been explained clearly. He is unparalleled in loyalty and righteousness!"

Su Wu nodded, stood up, and said, "This time, he must be even more grateful to you, Scholar Wu, right?"

Wu Yong smiled upon hearing this: "I have only relied on Your Majesty's power; how dare I claim any credit for it!"

Su Wu remained silent, simply spreading his hands and saying, "Put on your armor!"

Soldiers stepped forward to drape armor over the emperor.

After the emperor donned his armor, he went out and mounted his horse. Fifteen hundred riders were already on either side of him. He then selected several armored units, totaling about four thousand men, with Wu Song accompanying him. They were just waiting to be ready...

Sure enough, the city gate of the stone city opened.

The emperor's banner was in front, followed by swift horses. The emperor then went next, followed by foot soldiers, and they entered the city.

It's nothing much, just a ceremony. Other places might not need this, but in Dali, it's still necessary to do it...

However, the emperor had entered the city. There were many spectators inside the city, but even more spectators outside the city.

Countless people from various barbarian tribes were watching...

Regarding this, the question is: "Why did you open the city gates without even fighting?"

His tone was one of surprise and shock, tinged with displeasure; he was still waiting to negotiate with the most powerful emperor in the land…

We agreed on the terms before going to climb the city, so how did it end up being open?
As for the true size of the greatest emperor in the land, they didn't have a clear understanding. Their imaginations were limited. They had little idea of ​​how vast the land was, how many acres it contained, or how many people it had…

Even asking them if they believe there is such a thing as a flat land stretching for hundreds or thousands of miles without a single mountain.
They probably wouldn't believe it either; they would never believe that such a place could exist in the world.

Humans cannot actually imagine things they have never seen; this is probably what is meant by cognition.

This also made them not take the so-called greatest emperor in the world seriously. You could say that ignorance is bliss, but there was actually a deeper reason. They lived in the mountains, and no matter how powerful a person was, they couldn't do anything to them. Dali had 100,000 soldiers, and they had been there for over a hundred years. What could they do?
These mountains are their greatest asset. What can a million soldiers do, even if we don't know how many there are? As long as they go into the mountains, what can they do?

This is the source of our confidence! The heavy losses we suffered earlier were merely a mishap during our looting; the people of Dali didn't gain much advantage either.

One person spoke, and two others said, "Were these Dali people badly defeated by us before? Is that why they are afraid and have surrendered?"

I think that's about right!

"Yes, we burned this entire stone city to the ground. There are hardly any people left, and even food and drink are a problem. That's why this so-called emperor got the better deal..."

"Then he should get some of the benefits from us, right? We're the ones who inflicted countless casualties on the Dali soldiers, we're the ones who turned this stone city into this mess, which is why the emperor got the advantage..."

"Yes, yes, we should also go into the city and take a look. We should get some of the armor and weapons from those who surrendered!"

"What are you waiting for?"

The group was indeed heading towards that city...

But someone stepped in to stop them: "Hey, we should be reasonable. Let's wait for the emperor to return and then go to the main tent to demand it. After all, we accepted his money and supplies; we should at least give him some face..."

"That meager amount of money and food wouldn't even be enough to fill a gap between your teeth..."

"You did take some food after all, so let's wait until the emperor returns before discussing this further..."

……

After Su Wu made a brief appearance at Shicheng, leaving a few hundred soldiers to garrison the city, he left the city and prepared to break camp and head to Shanshan Prefecture...

There are still arrangements for this stone city. The forward base has taken another step forward, and the transfer of money, food, and supplies has added another node...

Therefore, Su Wu also had to issue various military orders to send more supplies to the rear camps and store them in Shicheng.

Over there, a letter should also be sent to Huang Sheng. In Guangnan West Circuit, a new army needs to be formed. The officers should be selected by the Privy Council, and half of the soldiers should be recruited from various departments in Yongzhou with money, while the other half should be recruited from various prefectures. It needs to be done as soon as possible...

These troops will be stationed in Shanshan Prefecture and Yangjumei City in the future. At that time, the troops of Gao Yang and other tribes will also be incorporated into their ranks...

Furthermore, they also wanted to move the Gao family members and children to Tokyo, turning this family into Bianjing residents.

All of these need to be prepared in advance.

Meanwhile, Su Wu was constantly writing letters. For the secret ones, Su Wu wrote them himself, while for the ordinary ones, Yu Hou Wenshu wrote them on his behalf. Everyone was busy...

At the gate, various leaders of the Dali barbarians were making a scene, demanding to see him.

He then entered the main tent...

Su Wu asked what was wrong.

Let's all talk...

"Your Majesty, we destroyed this stone city in the past. Today you entered the city without losing a single soldier. How can this not be attributed to our past contributions?"

"Yes, it was our thirty-seven tribes that spent countless lives to bring the Dali government troops and the city to this state. Your Majesty, you've gotten such a good deal, you should at least give us some benefits..."

"We don't need much. Just half of the surrendered soldiers' armor, weapons, crossbows, and the like. That would be perfect..."

"In that case, we can kill many more Dali people, can't we?"

"And there are still women in the city, right? Giving them two or three hundred would be reasonable..."

"The money and provisions are probably not much, so we won't take them..."

"Yes, of course I want it! How can I not want it? Please take just a little..."

……

Everyone was talking at length, but Su Wu didn't even look up. He only finished writing a secret letter, put down his pen, blew the ink dry, put it in an envelope, and then looked up to look around.

But then someone impatiently asked, "Emperor, didn't you hear what we were saying?"

Looking at the interpreters, each one of them looked embarrassed, constantly bowing their heads as they translated. Some had hesitated to translate earlier, but even Wu Yong raised his hand, gesturing for everyone to speak frankly...

Su Wu also turned to look at Gao Liangcheng, who was sitting not far away. Gao Liangcheng's expression had already changed...

Clearly, these barbarians did not recognize Gao Liangcheng and even thought he was a clerk or something similar to Su Wu.

Inside the main tent, none of Su Wu's generals were present; otherwise, they would have already erupted in anger.

Perhaps Su Wu and Wu Yong arranged it this way on purpose...

Seeing that Su Wu had not yet spoken, someone else asked, "Your Majesty, are you not even willing to grant such a small benefit?"

Su Wu smiled slightly: "In that case, let's set off for Shanshan Prefecture immediately. We'll talk about it all when we get there... You will be the vanguard, leading the way, and I will follow behind. The main army will come soon!"

"Is this true?"

"You're not trying to fool us, are you?"

Wu Yong replied, "Can't you lead the way? Perhaps, once we arrive at Shanshan Prefecture, the city gates will open, just like today? If the city gates don't open, you can attack first. They might all be easily frightened, and you can break through as soon as you attack..."

Upon hearing this, the group exchanged glances, and were indeed satisfied. Someone then said, "Then it's settled!"

"It's settled, let's go first!"

Wu Yong waved his hand: "Go, go... You don't have much baggage, but you have food, so go now..."

Everyone actually went...

Wu Yong glanced at Gao Liangcheng and said, "Young Master, why don't you hurry up and ride your horse to Shanshan Prefecture?"

Gao Liangcheng knew perfectly well what was going on, and was secretly delighted. After bowing deeply, he took off running...

Su Wu glanced at Wu Yong and sighed, "If we can't break through the city walls, I wonder if we'll have to cause trouble again..."

"How could they not make a scene? They'll definitely demand compensation..." Wu Yong's face truly took on a sinister look...

(End of this chapter)