The prince is more stable

Chapter 648 Despicable and Immoral
Bad people should be educated; this is a universal value.

Zhao Xiaoqian's main principle is to not tolerate wrongdoing. No matter who you are, if you break the law, you should be educated.

Wanyan Aguda had nothing to say. Faced with Zhao Xiaoqian's domineering attitude, the arrogant man had no reason to refuse the whipping.

"I accept it, I deserve this beating." Wanyan Aguda was a straightforward man; if he was wrong, he was wrong, and he would accept the punishment.

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled and said, "He's a sensible person. Go ahead, take the whip first, and we'll talk things over when you get back."

"Alright, I'll go first and come back later." Wanyan Aguda strode out of the hall.

Not long after, the sound of a whip cracking could be heard outside the hall, along with Wanyan Aguda's muffled groans as he suppressed his pain.

Inside the back hall, Xu Jiang said hesitantly, "Zi'an, Wanyan Aguda is, after all, the nephew of the leader of the Jurchen Wanyan tribe and our ally. If we hold a grudge over this matter, wouldn't it ruin our grand plan to attack the Liao Kingdom from both the north and south?"

Zhao Xiaoqian shook his head: "One thing at a time. Mistakes must be punished. We can't let the Jurchen people think they are important, otherwise they will become more and more arrogant in the future."

Xu Jiang seemed to be thinking: "So, what you're doing is seemingly punishing Wanyan Aguda, but actually you're giving the Jurchen subordinates a warning and using this incident to put them in their place?"

Zhao Xiaoqian avoided answering, then suddenly asked, "What does Mr. Chongyuan think of the Jurchen tribes?"

Xu Jiang thought for a moment and said, "I don't know much about the Jurchen tribes. I only know that they have been oppressed by the Liao people for generations. In order to resist the Liao people, they would rather die than submit and have had many conflicts with the Liao people. Unfortunately, they were eventually brutally suppressed. They are a pitiful group of people."

Zhao Xiaoqian laughed: "Now it seems that they are indeed pitiful people because they are still struggling to survive. But if they expand their territory, increase their tribe's population, and greatly increase their military strength and power, will Mr. Chongyuan still think they are pitiful people?"

Xu Jiang stared in astonishment, he never expected Zhao Xiaoqian to have such an opinion of the Jurchen tribe.

Wasn't that a tribe that lived between the Changbai Mountains and the Heilongjiang River, making a living by nomadic herding and hunting? In the eyes of the Song people, they were basically like primitive people. Could such a tribe possibly pose a threat to the Song Dynasty?
“Mr. Chongyuan, I have always firmly believed in the saying, ‘Those who are not of our kind will surely have different hearts.’ We should always be highly vigilant towards any barbarian tribes. If we relax our guard even slightly, they will seize the opportunity to crush us.”

"After all, the land we occupy is vast and rich in resources. Any foreign race would be green with envy. Have you not heard of An Lushan during the Tang Dynasty? He was a barbarian who could flatter Emperor Xuanzong by dancing the Hu Xuan dance with his belly sticking out. Once he got the chance, he overthrew the entire Tang Dynasty. The lesson of the past is not far off, as seen in the Xia Dynasty."

Xu Jiang remained silent for a long while, then stood up and bowed deeply: "I have learned a great deal from your words, Zi'an. Thank you very much."

“Mr. Chongyuan, you flatter me,” Zhao Xiaoqian quickly helped him up and said, “How dare I preach to the top scholar? My main point is to remind everyone that we should not trust the Jurchen tribe too much just because they are allies.”

Outside the back hall, the cracking of whips stopped, but there was no sound from Wanyan Aguda for a long time.

Zhao Xiaoqian raised an eyebrow: "Did you die from being slapped?"

Chen Shou hurriedly walked in from outside the hall: "Your Highness, the twenty lashes have been completed, and Wanyan Agu has been knocked unconscious."

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded: "It seems you didn't hold back. Let him lie there and calm down."

As he spoke, Zhao Xiaoqian smiled at Xu Jiang and said, "He should be punished for making a mistake. If his father won't punish him, I will. Let's give him a father who is not his biological father but is better than his biological father."

Xu Jiang rolled his eyes at him, stroked his beard, closed his eyes, and remained silent. Clearly, he agreed with what Zhao Xiaoqian had just said and no longer had any concerns.

Zhao Xiaoqian looked at Zhen Qing, who hadn't said a word, and said, "Old Zhen, I've called you all the way from the capital because I have something to tell you to do."

Zhen Qing smiled obsequiously, "Your Highness, please give your orders, and I will certainly carry them out."

"Our Great Song Dynasty is about to launch the war to recover Yan and Yun. Now our soldiers are ready to fight at any time. This war is related to the fate of the nation. Before the war begins, we must come up with strategies and methods."

"Send all the Imperial City Guard personnel who are lurking in the Liao Kingdom to Yanyun, focusing on the three cities of Hejian, Xijin, and Datong."

Zhen Qing asked, puzzled, "What are they sent there for?"

"Spreading rumors, bewitching people, creating chaos, and undermining morale," Zhao Xiaoqian said slowly, word by word.

Those present looked at him in surprise.

Zhao Xiaoqian, looking nonchalant, said, "What are you looking at? You don't think that war between two countries is just about stabbing each other with swords and spears on the front lines, do you?"

Zhen Qingxi said, "So Your Highness has this idea. That's easy! I'll have the Imperial City Guards infiltrate Yanyun immediately."

Zhao Xiaoqian hummed in agreement and said, "Do everything within your means and don't force yourself. If you have the opportunity, you can use even more despicable methods, such as poisoning the wells in the city, setting fires, assassinating Liao army generals and important figures, etc."

The people in the hall stared in astonishment, then looked thoughtful.

War has no limits, and Zhao Xiaoqian's methods may seem immoral, but they work.

The expressions of the people present varied, but Zhao Xiaoqian's method was clearly to Zhen Qing's liking. Zhen Qing said happily, "This humble official understands. Your Highness, rest assured, this humble official will handle this matter perfectly and strive to subdue the enemy without fighting, thereby reducing the casualties of our soldiers."

"Very good, go ahead. Before the royal army sets out, have the Imperial City Guards infiltrate Yanyun. Otherwise, once the army sets out, the cities of Yanyun will probably not allow outsiders to enter or leave." Zhen Qing left in a hurry.

Zhao Xiaoqian then looked at Zhao Xin and said, "You must personally make a trip to the capital. Here are two secret letters written by my own hand. The envelopes of the secret letters have my name on them. You must present them to them in person and remember not to let them fall into the hands of outsiders."

As he spoke, Zhao Xiaoqian took out two letters sealed with sealing wax and handed them to Zhao Xin.

The secret letter was addressed to Xiao Wuna and Xiao Fengxian. In front of everyone, Zhao Xiaoqian did not reveal their names, as their roles were too important and this secret must not be known to anyone else, not even officials of the Song Dynasty.

After Zhen Qing and Zhao Xin left, Wanyan Aguda was helped in by Chen Shou.

Wanyan Aguda was pale and in pain. His back was covered in blood from the whipping, and every step he took aggravated the wounds, causing him excruciating pain.

But this guy was a real tough guy; he endured twenty lashes without uttering a sound and was able to walk in on his own.

With such unwavering resolve, this child must not be allowed to live...

Zhao Xiaoqian squinted at him, a hint of a smile in his eyes: "You've been wronged, Your Excellency. Our Great Song Dynasty has its own laws, and anyone who makes a mistake should be punished. Please try to understand."

Wanyan Aguda forced a smile and said, "Of course I understand. It was my own fault. I won't do it again."

"That's right. If you're going to drink, then drink properly. If you get drunk, find a place to lie down and sleep. No one will blame you if you sleep badly, but if you have bad drinking manners, you should quit as soon as possible."

Zhao Xiaoqian leaned closer and said with a smile, "I feel very guilty for offending you today. How about I treat you to a drink tonight? I'll make an exception for you today. If you get drunk, you can go to my Song army camp and cause a ruckus. No matter how outrageous you are, I promise I won't blame you or punish you."

Wanyan Aguda was horrified. Was this even human language? You have 100,000 soldiers in your Song army camp, and you want me to go and cause a drunken rampage?

Is the alliance so fragile? Are they in such a hurry to kill me?

Shaking his head frantically, until it was blurry, Wanyan Aguda said earnestly, "My injuries are too severe, I can't drink alcohol anymore. I will never touch a drop of alcohol again, really."

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed, seemingly with a hint of regret.

Wanyan Aguda was secretly alarmed. He finally realized the reality: this was Song territory, and he had better be careful with his words and actions. Otherwise, he would suffer the same lesson of being whipped today, and it would be even more painful in the future.

"Alright, let's get down to business. We agreed that my Great Song Dynasty would provide your Wanyan tribe with weapons, armor, and provisions, while your uncle, Wanyan Polashu, must unify the Jurchen tribes as soon as possible and launch a war against the Liao Dynasty simultaneously with my Song army from the north and south, right?"

Wanyan Aguda nodded: "That's right. Our Jurchen warriors value their promises the most, and they always keep their word."

Zhao Xiaoqian slowly said, "The provisions, weapons and armor you need have already been loaded onto the Song Dynasty's divine ships, a total of more than ten ships. They departed from Hangzhou, passed through the Korea-Japan Strait, headed north, detoured behind the Liao Kingdom, and headed straight for the northeast. If nothing unexpected happens, your uncle Wanyan Polaishu has already successfully received them."

Wanyan Aguda exclaimed with delight, "So it can be transported by sea! Haha, I've learned something new! With this batch of provisions, weapons, and armor, how can we worry about the Jurchen tribes not being unified? My Wanyan tribe has been waiting for this moment for many years!"

Zhao Xiaoqian said with a smile, "You have to keep your word. I've given you the things. Now it's up to your Wanyan tribe to perform. If you can't, don't blame me for turning against you. You should know your status as a hostage, right? What are hostages used for?"

Wanyan Aguda's expression froze, and he said in a somber tone, "If the alliance cannot be fulfilled, the hostages will be used as sacrifices to the heavens..."

Zhao Xiaoqian looked at him with heartache and said, "You are so sensible. I can't bear to kill you."

Wanyan Aguda emphasized, "Your Highness, rest assured, my Wanyan tribe will definitely succeed. Within a month, the Jurchen tribe will be unified by my uncle!"

Zhao Xiaoqian said earnestly, "In a few days, our Song army will cross the Juma River to the north and head towards Hejian Prefecture in Yanyun. Before our army takes Hejian Prefecture, we hope that the Wanyan tribe can start a war against the Liao Kingdom. If we miss this opportunity, the Wanyan tribe will be of no value to our army, and of course, you will be of no value to me either."

Sensing the murderous intent in Zhao Xiaoqian's tone, Wanyan Aguda trembled and hurriedly said, "I will immediately send a message to my uncle and tell him Your Highness's intentions. Your Highness, please rest assured, my Wanyan tribe will always be the most loyal ally of the Great Song!"

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded in satisfaction, then put on a concerned and distressed expression: "How is the injury on your back? Should I call a doctor for you? I don't know which killer did it. They were so reckless. My intention was just to give them a small punishment as a warning. Those bastards outside can't understand human language, so please don't mind them."

Wanyan Aguda's lips twitched slightly.

Belated concern is worth less than grass, let alone such hypocritical concern. If it weren't for the fact that this was on his turf...

“The minor injuries are not important. I need to write to my uncle right away, otherwise I will not only suffer these dozens of lashes, but I will also lose my life.”

Wanyan Aguda decisively rejected Zhao Xiaoqian's concern and staggered out.

His injuries were indeed severe, but his life was more important. At this moment, Wanyan Aguda was still able to walk entirely because of his will to survive.

Zhao Xiaoqian watched his staggering figure with a sigh, feeling inexplicably heartbroken, and a somber background music suddenly started playing in his mind.

"We are all trying our best to live..."

(End of this chapter)