I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 298 Gone with the Wind
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Zhang Chun's brilliant plan for Yuwen Xuzhong consisted of only three words: "Mandarin Duck Lake".

With the vast intelligence network that Yuwen Xuzhong possessed, he naturally knew very easily that this was a place name, Anguli Nao in the northwest of Zhangbei County, a place where the Khitan monarch went hunting in the spring and handled military and political affairs.

However, Yuwen Xuzhong had no idea what the place name Zhang Chun had given him meant.

Until Yuwen Xuzhong received intelligence that Yelü Yanxi had disappeared, no one knew where he was.

Yuwen Xuzhong immediately thought of Yuanyang Lake.

Therefore, Yuwen Xuzhong found Zhang Jun, Zhang Shuye, Liu Fa, Li Miao and others, and laid a trap at Yuanyang Lake, waiting for Yelü Yanxi and his party to walk right into it.

It was no secret in the Song Dynasty that Zhang Chun was skilled in divination.

Of course, some people suspect that Zhao Yu had a fourth or even a fifth intelligence system in addition to the Imperial City Guard, the Eastern Depot, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

This matter aroused suspicion not only among outsiders, but also among the three secret service leaders, Li Yan, Yang Jian, and Yuwen Xuzhong.

Because there were many things that the three secret service leaders didn't know, but Zhao Yu and Zhang Chun did.

Although Li Yan, Yang Jian, and Yuwen Xuzhong had never communicated with each other, they all suspected that Zhang Chun was in charge of an intelligence system; otherwise, Zhang Chun wouldn't know so much.

Li Yan, Yang Jian, and Yuwen Xuzhong had considered investigating those one or two secret intelligence systems, but firstly, they could never find any trace of them; secondly, all the intelligence systems were funded by Zhao Yu personally, without the court contributing a single penny, so they had no way of investigating.

It was precisely because of this, coupled with the fact that the Imperial City Guard, the Eastern Depot, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard had planted spies in each other and monitored each other, that Li Yan, Yang Jian, Yuwen Xuzhong, and the people of the Imperial City Guard, the Eastern Depot, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were all caught in a delicate balance. They were wary of each other and secretly competed with each other, which allowed Zhao Yu to clearly understand everything about the Song Dynasty. No one and nothing could be hidden from him.

In the eyes of these intelligence agents, beneath the surface of the Zhao Song Dynasty's court, undercurrents were surging, and everyone was both a player and a pawn, needing to carefully consider every move to avoid total defeat.

This wasn't Zhang Chun's first time making a move; he would always step in at crucial moments, and he almost never failed when he did.

Therefore, with Zhang Chun's suggestion, and under Yuwen Xuzhong's supervision, Zhang Jun, Zhang Shuye, Liu Fa, Li Miao and others made full preparations at Yuanyang Lake. They were confident that as long as Yelü Yanxi and his party arrived at Yuanyang Lake, not even a fly could get out.

As it turned out, Zhang Chun was right again. A few days later, Yelü Yanxi and his entourage did indeed arrive at Yuanyang Lake.

Because of the veteran general Liu Fa leading the troops, the Song army waited until Yelü Yanxi and his party were completely inside their trap before they began to move.

Just as Yelü Yanxi picked up his precious bow to hunt swans, and Yelü Aoluwo was about to commit suicide on Yelü Yanxi's orders, horns sounded all around, like thunder, shaking the vast Yuanyang Lake. Immediately afterward, the Song army appeared all around like ghosts.

Yelü Yanxi's precious bow suddenly stopped. Before the arrow had even left the string, the air had already frozen into a tense standoff. He looked up in astonishment and saw that from all directions, the Song army was pressing in like dark clouds, their banners obscuring the sun, completely surrounding this hunting paradise.

Upon seeing this, Yelü Aoluwo turned ashen-faced and instinctively lowered the scimitar from his neck. He looked around and saw that the Song army was like an impenetrable wall, completely surrounding them. Despair, like ice, gradually froze in his heart.

Yelü Yanxi's first thought upon regaining his senses was to escape, to escape at all costs, and to ensure that no one could catch him.

But the current situation was like an iron net, leaving Yelü Yanxi unable to move. The shouts and hoofbeats of the Song army all around him mingled together, like a prelude to death, echoing in the sky above Yuanyang Lake.

Yelü Yanxi looked around and saw that Song troops were everywhere, making it impossible to get through. He then realized that he was now in a desperate situation.

The only two things that prevented Yelü Yanxi from despairing were that they were surrounded not by the Jin army but by the Song army, and that the Song army had only surrounded them without making any move.

Yelü Yanxi hoped that these Song soldiers were only after money, so that he could still protect himself by spending some money and paying some price.

Yelü Yanxi glanced at Xiao Fengxian, signaling him to quickly go and negotiate to find out what the situation was with this Song army, what their purpose was, and whether they could be let go.

Although Xiao Fengxian was unwilling to take the risk, he knew that his current situation did not allow him to hesitate or back down in the slightest.

So, Xiao Fengxian braced himself, took a few steps forward, and shouted loudly, "I am Xiao Fengxian, the Privy Councilor of the Great Liao Dynasty. Please come out and answer my question, Commander!"

Xiao Fengxian's voice echoed across the vast grassland. Soon after, a Song general rode out and arrived at the front of the battle.

This Song general was tall and strong, exuding the heroic and dignified aura of someone who had been through many battles. His eyes were deep and sharp, revealing wisdom and decisiveness, as if he could see through all the changes on the battlefield. His skin was tanned and rough from years of fighting, and he had thick hair and beard. His calm demeanor made him clearly an extraordinary figure.

This man was none other than Liu Fa, a famous general of the Zhao Song Dynasty. He said in a deep voice, "I am Liu Fa, the commander of the Northern Army of the Great Song Dynasty. I have been ordered by the Emperor to invite His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Liao Dynasty to come to my Bianjing for a meeting."

Upon hearing Liu Fa's words, everyone, including Xiao Fengxian who was speaking to him, Yelü Yanxi behind him, and any other Liao people, were struck dumb, their faces drained of all color.

A good listener is worse than a good talker.

Liu Fa has made it clear that the so-called chance encounter and the desire for wealth are all wishful thinking on their part. The Song army's target from the very beginning was Yelü Yanxi, the emperor of the Liao Empire.

"This isn't an 'invitation' at all; it's clearly a trap they've been setting up for all along, waiting to close in!" Xiao Fengxian opened his mouth, but something seemed to be blocking his throat, and he couldn't utter a sound for a long time: "Inviting...inviting Your Majesty to Bianjing for a meeting? This is clearly an attempt to capture Your Majesty and take you to the Song Dynasty!"

Yelü Yanxi gripped the precious bow tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force, and even the bowstring trembled slightly from his grip. He stared intently at Liu Fa's expressionless face, a chill running from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

'That scoundrel Zhao Yu has finally laid a hand on me!'

Yelü Yanxi gritted his teeth and whispered that the inescapable net before him and the "imperial decree" mentioned by Liu Fa all proved that this was not a sudden event at all, but a carefully planned scheme by the Zhao Song emperor and his ministers.

In fact, Yelü Yanxi had long sensed that his greatest enemy might not have been Wanyan Aguda, who relentlessly pursued him like a vengeful ghost, but rather Zhao Yu, who appeared benevolent towards him and the Liao Dynasty but was actually ambitious. This is why, even when the Jurchens chased him from north to south and then from south to east, Yelü Yanxi never sought help from Zhao Yu and remained wary of him, resolutely refusing to make contact with him no matter who advised him.

Despite Yelü Yanxi's extreme caution, he ultimately fell into Zhao Yu's trap.

Yelü Yanxi's gaze swept back and forth between Liu Fa and the dark mass of Song soldiers behind him. The resentment and anger in his heart were like oil being poured on a raging fire, almost burning away the last shred of his rationality. He knew that at this moment he was like a turtle in a jar, completely at their mercy.

In his despair, Yelü Yanxi caught a glimpse of his thousands of fine horses, each capable of traveling five hundred li a day, and the leather pouches on them filled with the finest treasures of the Liao Kingdom, which gave him a renewed sense of hope.

Yelü Yanxi gave Xiao Fengxian, who was already at a loss, a wink, and then glanced discreetly at the fine horses and treasures.

Xiao Fengxian, being a mind reader of Yelü Yanxi, instantly understood what Yelü Yanxi meant.

Xiao Fengxian hurriedly stepped forward to Liu Fa's side, then forced a fawning smile and said in a low voice, "If the general is willing to show leniency, our Great Liao is willing to offer 10,000 ingots of gold, 100,000 ingots of silver, 1,000 fine horses that can travel 500 li a day, and 100 beautiful women. What do you say?"

As Xiao Fengxian spoke, he secretly observed Liu Fa's expression, hoping that the other party would show the slightest emotion.

One ingot of gold (or one ingot of silver) is fifty taels.

The ratio of gold to silver was approximately one to ten, and one tael of silver was roughly equivalent to one string of cash.

Thus, 10,000 gold ingots and 100,000 silver ingots would amount to approximately one million strings of cash.

In addition, there are a thousand fine horses and a hundred beautiful women.

The life-saving money that Xiao Fengxian paid on behalf of Yelü Yanxi was truly astronomical, enough to make countless people's hearts flutter. Even if it were an ordinary general who was not greedy for money, he would probably hesitate at least several times.

But after listening, Liu Fa remained calm and composed, his eyes showing no emotion whatsoever, as if the gold, silver, horses, and beauties that Xiao Fengxian spoke of were all illusory and had nothing to do with him.

This is not only because Liu Fa has a large number of Imperial Guards behind him, as well as Zhao Yu's personal guard, the Divine Machine Left Army, so he dares not have such crooked thoughts, but also because the current Zhao Song Dynasty has the saying that "when discussing famous generals, Liu Fa must be the first". He has the pride and vision of the number one general of the Zhao Song Dynasty.

Liu Fa spoke slowly, his voice as cold as a gust of wind piercing through the forest: "I am a servant of the emperor, and I am obligated to serve him. How could I defy the will of heaven for my own selfish reasons? Furthermore, His Majesty the Emperor of Liao is of immeasurable worth. His nobility cannot be measured by gold, silver, fine horses, or beautiful women. We have come here only to invite His Majesty the Emperor of Liao to Bianjing to see my lord. We are not driven by personal greed. I hope you will not make a mistake."

Xiao Fengxian wanted to persuade him further, but Liu Fa stopped talking and said coldly, "If you all don't want to save face, I will save face for you."

As soon as Liu Fa finished speaking, the surrounding Song soldiers suddenly moved in perfect unison. Archers drew their bows and nocked their arrows, musketeers raised their Li Lin guns, and spearmen gripped their long weapons tightly. A chilling aura permeated the air, as if even the air itself had frozen.

The sunlight shone on the gleaming weapons of the Song soldiers, reflecting a blinding light that added to the oppressive atmosphere.

Seeing this, Yelü Yanxi's face grew even paler. He knew that there was no turning back now; the Song army was bound to win, and he was like a fish on a chopping board, at their mercy. An unprecedented fear and despair welled up in his heart—not just the fear of death, but also the despair of the empire's collapse and his own fate as the last emperor.

At this moment, several Liao ministers and generals tried to persuade Yelü Yanxi to save face and not let the people of the Zhao Song Dynasty laugh at them.

Yelü Yanxi understood the meaning of these Liao officials and generals. He immediately threw away the precious bow in his hand, drew the curved sword from his waist and threw it on the ground, and said loudly, "Very well! Then I will go to Bianjing to see the Emperor of the Great Song and see what he has to discuss with me!"

With Yelü Yanxi taking the lead in surrendering, the Liao ministers and generals who did not want to die followed suit, either discarding their weapons or dismounting to surrender.

The emperor and most of the ministers surrendered, and the Liao soldiers who had long since given up on serving Yelü Yanxi eagerly laid down their weapons.

In this atmosphere, those Liao ministers and soldiers who had initially maintained a sliver of resistance, wanting to fight to the death, or who had harbored a glimmer of hope of escaping in the chaos, completely collapsed upon seeing the emperor and most of his ministers and soldiers surrender. Their last embers of resistance were extinguished. They silently laid down their weapons…

Yelü Aoluwo also dropped his scimitar. Was he relieved to have survived, or lamenting the end of the glorious Liao Empire? His eyes were empty and lost, like a soulless shell. All the clamor and upheaval around him seemed irrelevant; he simply stood there quietly, witnessing the turning point of history and bearing the heavy blow of his own fate…

At the same time, Zhang Jun led a detachment to surround the large tent where a group of Liao women were located.

Some brave and resilient women of troubled times hid behind cover, drawing their bows and aiming at the Song army that had surrounded them. Although their eyes were full of defiance and determination, their resistance seemed so small and powerless in the face of overwhelming power.

Zhang Jun took the megaphone and said loudly:

"Lady Huarui, the consort of Emperor Gaozu of the Former Shu, wrote a poem: The king raised the surrender flag on the city wall, but how could I, in the deep palace, know? One hundred and forty thousand men laid down their arms, and not one of them was a true man."

"War is a man's affair, what does it have to do with women? Why should you ladies bear the weight of the destruction of your country with your frail bodies?"

"We are ordered to invite the Liao Emperor to Bianjing to meet with our Emperor. The outcome of this matter is uncertain, so why should you ladies jeopardize yourselves?"

"Your Majesties are all of immeasurable health, and we would never dare to be negligent!"

"If you ladies lay down your weapons and step out of the tent, we will treat you with the utmost courtesy and escort you safely to Bianjing, ensuring that you suffer no harm whatsoever!"

It may have been the effect of Zhang Jun reciting Lady Huarui's "Poem on the Fall of the Nation," or perhaps Zhang Jun's words touched the softest part of these beauties in troubled times. Many of them began to waver—they felt sorrow for the destruction of their country, uncertainty about the future, and a desire to survive.

Gradually, the resolute look in their eyes was replaced by a complex mix of emotions, including helplessness, sorrow, and a barely perceptible sense of relief.

Seeing this, Empress Xiao Duoli of the Liao Empire sighed deeply, "Alas!" and then ordered, "Put down your bows and arrows, and stop making futile resistance..."

……

(End of this chapter)