The Song Dynasty on the Sand Table

Chapter 489 Fabricated Crime

Yue Fei held the gold medal handed to him by the messenger, his expression strange.

He had a strong suspicion that the gold medal was fake, a result of treacherous officials abusing their power and falsely conveying imperial edicts.

But upon closer inspection, he saw that the gold plaque was made of wood with vermilion lacquer and gold lettering that read "Imperial document, not to be sold in shops." Without a doubt, this was not a fake. It was the highest-ranking emergency document in the Song Dynasty, representing the emperor's direct order, requiring the passage of 500 li (or even faster) per day. When relayed by the post stations, it "passed by like lightning, and all who saw it had to give way."

No matter how treacherous a minister is, he wouldn't dare to forge this thing.

Yue Fei's expression darkened...

Jin Wuzhu has been thoroughly defeated by us, and we're about to take over Kaifeng. What's the meaning of this withdrawal order now?
If we retreat now, the advantage that countless soldiers have gained with their lives will be handed over for nothing.

Not reconciled!

He was torn with conflicting emotions. He really didn't want to retreat, but if he didn't, he would be directly disobeying the "golden order," which was far more serious than disobeying the Ministry of War's orders.

Just then...

The sound of horses' hooves rang out again from the south, and another messenger rode up, shouting from afar, "Golden medal! Golden medal! The Emperor has decreed that Yue Fei must immediately withdraw his troops!"

Yue Fei's heart tightened: Here we go again?
Are these two gold medals really that close together?

The first one had barely arrived when the second one came. This means that the Emperor issued two imperial edicts in succession, ordering me to withdraw my troops.
Yue Fei was shocked.

However, it's too early to be shocked.

The third, the fourth, the fifth... the twelfth...

Gold medals came one after another as if they were free! The twelve couriers, panting heavily, looked at Yue Fei with complicated expressions.

These twelve couriers were all from Ruzhou.

Because the relay of the gold medal required changing people and horses at each post station, the relay started with the Lin'an post station workers. However, at each post station, the people and horses were changed. When it reached the last post station, the post station workers from Ruzhou took over. These post station workers lived very close to the Jin army and knew very well what kind of people the Jin and the puppet Qi state were.

They really didn't want to issue such an order, but in life, there are some things you can't simply choose not to do!
When you're in the world of martial arts, you're not always in control of your own destiny.

Yue Fei couldn't help but sigh, "Once you're in the martial world, you're not in control of your own destiny."

He glanced one last time northwards towards Kaifeng, wept with indignation, and bowed again eastwards, saying: "Ten years of effort, wasted in a single day! The prefectures and counties I gained, all gone in an instant! The nation and its people, impossible to revive! The world, beyond repair!"
-
A few days later...

The Dali Temple Prison, commonly known as the Heavenly Prison.

Yue Fei, Yue Yun, and Zhang Xian sat upright in a pile of thatched huts.

Although he was imprisoned in the imperial prison, Yue Fei still believed that Zhao Gou would set things right and release him.

He's just too young.

Footsteps sounded, and a middle-aged official walked in. It was He Zhu, the Imperial Censor, who was in charge of the trial of Yue Fei's treason case.

He Zhu walked to the prison gate, stared deeply at Yue Fei, and after a long while, sighed softly: "Marshal Yue, the Emperor has treated you well, giving you money, grain, and manpower as you asked for. Why do you disobey the imperial decree and insist on your own way?"

Yue Fei didn't waste any more words, took off his shirt, and exposed his back.

On his back were four characters tattooed: "Serve the country with utmost loyalty!"

These four characters are deeply etched into the skin, showing the firmness of the mind when the characters were tattooed. He Zhu was also moved by this. He also saw Yue Fei's upright and righteous spirit, without any of the guilty look one would expect when caught doing something wrong.

He Zhu frowned, sensing that things were not so simple.

Upon exiting the prison, He Zhu saw Qin Hui sitting in the main hall of the Dali Temple, looking at him with a slight smile, and asking, "Well? Has Yue Fei confessed?"

He Zhu shook his head: "Prime Minister Qin, Marshal Yue is probably wronged. This matter needs to be investigated again. We cannot easily convict him of treason."

Qin Hui pointed to the sky and whispered, "This is the Emperor's intention!"

Upon hearing this, He Zhu's expression changed: "How could I, a mere Yue Fei, harm a general without cause when the enemy is not yet defeated? This would alienate the soldiers and is not a long-term plan for the country." Qin Hui sneered: "Hmph! Going against the Emperor, Lord He, your time as an official is up. Just wait for your transfer order."

The next day, the transfer order arrived.

He Zhu was demoted to the position of Junior Secretary and exiled to Huizhou.

Wan Qixie was appointed as the new presiding judge in charge of Yue Fei's treason case.

When Wan Qixie came to power, he was not as gentle as He Zhu. He immediately fabricated a whole bunch of charges against Yue Fei and forced him to confess.

But Yue Fei refused to admit any of his crimes and instead went on a hunger strike to demonstrate his resolve.

Li Ruopu and He Yanyou, officials of the Court of Judicial Review, believed that Yue Fei was innocent and argued vehemently with Wan Qixie. Both were dismissed from their posts.

Zhao Shi, the Minister of the Imperial Clan Court, vouched for Yue Fei's innocence with his entire family of over 100 people, but he was also impeached by Wan Qixie, dismissed from his post, and banished from Lin'an.

Scholars such as Zhi Jia, commoners such as Liu Yunsheng and Fan Chengzhi also submitted petitions to plead for Yue Fei, but they were all implicated. Liu Yunsheng was executed by Dali Temple, and Zhi Jia and Fan Chengzhi later died in exile.

……

Two months have passed in the blink of an eye.

The year was the summer of 1135.

During his hunger strike, Yue Fei was extremely weak. He survived for two months only because Yue Lei brought him some food when he visited him in prison.

He only ate what his son brought, and never ate food brought by treacherous officials.

Because he absolutely refused to make any compromises with treacherous officials.

In the evening, the prison was quite stuffy. Yue Yun suddenly twitched his ears: "People are coming. A lot of people."

Zhang Xian frowned as well: "The footsteps are heavy. It's not civil officials coming, but a group of armored soldiers."

At this point, the two exchanged a glance, both sensing that something was amiss.

Soon, Qin Hui appeared in front of the two, followed by a large group of fully armed soldiers.

Upon seeing this formation, Zhang Xian and Yue Yun knew they were doomed.

Yue Fei smiled weakly, "Very well! Very well!"

Qin Hui chuckled: "It's not that good. Something even more terrible is waiting for you."

Yue Fei: "It's just death, how terrible can it be?"

Qin Hui thought to himself: You have no idea, the young master Yue of the Northern Song Dynasty said that he would put you in his bowl alive. When you are eaten alive by him, you will know what true horror is. Tsk tsk! However, I can't say this in front of so many people.

Qin Hui waved his hand and said, "Tie him up and take him away!"

The soldiers got to work, binding Yue Fei, Yue Yun, and Zhang Xian hand and foot, and pushing them onto the carriage.

Then the car left Dali Temple and headed out of the city.

I don't know how long the car swayed before it finally stopped.

Yue Fei and his two companions were pulled from the carriage. Ahead lay a bamboo grove with a small pavilion in the center, bearing the inscription "Fengbo Pavilion." The three men looked around and, seeing how secluded the location was, realized Qin Hui intended to secretly execute them.

Qin Hui: "Yue Fei, what else do you have to say?"

Yue Fei: "What crime have I committed?"

Qin Hui: "The Emperor wants you dead, so why should you be guilty? I'll just convict you of a fabricated crime! Guards, drag the three of them into Fengbo Pavilion and behead them."

(End of this chapter)