You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 151 Commander Chen's Jurchen Brothers
On the Xingling Plain.

Golden wheat fields, harvested haystacks, and neat rows of soil.

Chen Shao unexpectedly discovered that he really enjoyed watching the harvest scenes and the men's performances during their free time.

I wonder how many more days of this peaceful life will last.

Just as I was about to return to the city, a group of people arrived, saying that the Jurchen envoys had come.

Yinzhou had announced three days ago that a Jurchen envoy had entered the country. Considering the journey, it should take about three days to reach Xiping Prefecture.

Chen Shao nodded and said, "Tell them to wait for me at the Marshal's Mansion."

Back at his residence, after changing his clothes, Chen Shao considered his words and the purpose of the Jurchens' visit.

Unable to understand, Chen Shao went to the outer courtyard hall, where five people of standard Jurchen-Tartar physique stood.

They were quite polite, even raising their hands to their chests in a gesture of respect.

You should know that nowadays, Jurchen envoys are arrogant no matter where they go.

There was nothing they could do; this was their biggest creditor, holding debts amounting to millions of taels of silver.

Moreover, it was Wanyan Balisu's men who came.

These Jurchen people had traded human lives with Chen Shao for a great deal of gold, silver, jade, silk, and ceramics. They were very satisfied with Chen Shao.

"We heard that General Chen went to Datong to buy books and scriptures, but was refused by Xi Yin. So Zhu Balisu specially asked us to bring some to give to the general!"

Chen Shao said with a smile, "Thank you for your kindness, Balisu. What brings you all here from afar?"

The leading Tartar stepped forward and said, “Our general, Bali, has said that some Liao people have crossed the river and fled into your Yinzhou from Nuanquan Peak. Please send men to patrol and stop them, and return the Liao people who have crossed the border to us, so as not to damage the harmony between our two countries.”

"Is that so?" Chen Shao said, "Don't worry, I'm friends with Balisu. I'll send someone to investigate right away."

"There's one more thing," Chen Shao said immediately, glancing at the main hall. "They're all my trusted confidants, so speak freely."

“My family will ask the Lord, when will this year’s dividends arrive?”

“I’ve already made preparations and was about to transport them, but the Western Army is in chaos right now, with fighting everywhere.” Chen Shao looked troubled. “As you know, some of your country’s soldiers don’t have good discipline. I’m afraid that the goods I’m transporting to Balishu will be seized by others.”

The Jurchen envoy immediately said, "General, rest assured, Balisu knew this was the case, which is why he specially led his troops to garrison in the Black Mountain area."

Chen Shao chuckled inwardly. This Ba Lisu had seen through everything. Rather than rushing in headfirst and competing with those powerful figures for the credit of killing Yelü Yanxi, he might as well honestly conduct trade with him.

All that fighting and killing, and you only make a few coins.

At this point, the Jurchen envoy finally began to reveal the true purpose of his trip. He unconsciously took another step forward. "General Chen, Zonghan has given a strict order that no more Liao-Han people should be sold. Our lord would like to ask if you want any of the mixed Tatar and Hu people from the grasslands?"

"Tatars?"

Chen Shao frowned slightly, looking thoughtful. He really hadn't expected Ba Lisu to have this idea.

Upon seeing this, the Jurchen envoy assumed that he disagreed and became very anxious.

Now everyone is living a good life, and they even look down on other Jurchen tribes. After all, when our Puliyan was wearing a crane-feather cloak, your Puliyan was still wearing animal skins.

Everyone wore gossamer-thin gauze robes, gilded silver sachets, and drank from glass cups. Occasionally, they would splurge and burn a little sandalwood and musk.

Even from a distance, you could smell the stench emanating from the villagers; they'd had enough of that already.

Zonghan forbade the sale of Liao people's lives, but surely he couldn't also forbid the sale of those Tatars further west!
Before Chen Shao could reply, the Jurchen envoy said, "The price can be lowered."

Chen Shao said, "Our territory is small, and we don't lack manpower now. How about this, I'll discuss it with my men and then come back to let you know. Please stay here for now."

Someone brought Jurchen envoys to stay there.

After everyone left, the hall was empty except for a few guards.

Chen Shao couldn't help but laugh.

These Jurchens are quite interesting, but thinking about it, they've fought wars their whole lives, can't they enjoy themselves a bit?

By stationing himself in Heishan, Balisu had effectively given up on the tremendous achievement of capturing Yelü Yanxi; he had essentially given up.

Wanyan Balisu and his main force indeed had no intention of continuing their advance; the spoils they had plundered would last for several lifetimes.

With such a large territory and only so many Jurchen people, why continue fighting? Balisu doesn't understand, nor does he want to understand.

All he knew was that further south was unbearably hot, not a place fit for human habitation.

Zonghan kept clamoring to go south, which annoyed Balisu so much that he simply stayed far away.

Under his command were several civil officials from the Liao people. Balisu had them calculate that as long as Chen Shao gave him dividends on time, his wealth would grow exponentially, even faster than if he had followed Zonghan to fight.

That scoundrel Xi Yin is even more despicable; he complains everywhere, causing my business to stop. Otherwise, exchanging worthless animals for money would be the most profitable business.

Chen Shao certainly didn't need to convene a meeting to discuss the matter; the Tatars were of course available for purchase. These people had been captured by the Jurchen Tatars and sold to him.

Then arm yourself, go back and take revenge—just thinking about it is thrilling.

Moreover, he can drive the price down very low.

Now, Balisu is stationed in the Heishan area, and to the northwest, vast grasslands are his hunting grounds.

Thinking of the Mongolian grasslands, the current situation is very complicated. Chen Shao once sent out many caravans and agents from Yipintang to scout the area.

The grasslands are so vast that, according to intelligence, there may be as many as a million people.

Moreover, the average lifespan on the grasslands is very short, so most people are young and middle-aged, and the elderly make up a small percentage.

Frequent inter-tribal warfare has prevented the formation of a stable alliance system.

Chen Shao paced back and forth in the lobby, thinking it over and over, and suddenly felt that this matter was feasible and could be properly planned.

The Jurchens were not meticulous in their work. When they were sent to capture people, they would mostly just let their troops burn, kill, and plunder, which was not very efficient.

"Guards! Summon all officials of the fifth rank and above in Xiping Prefecture for a meeting."

The Dingnan Army was nominally just an army, with a very low rank.

At this time, before the country had broken away from the Song Dynasty, most people held low-ranking official positions; those above the fifth rank already wielded considerable power.

This is actually why everyone in Dingnan Army is dissatisfied, and why many people want Chen Shao to advance further.

You are the boss of this interest group.

With everyone being so capable, if you don't strive for improvement, those below you will push you forward.

It's just not the right time yet, otherwise they wouldn't stop even if Chen Shao didn't want to.

Soon, officials arrived one after another. Since there had been no prior notice, no one knew what had happened.

When we saw each other on the street, we were both very excited.

Especially when they arrived at the Marshal's Mansion, everyone gathered together, excitedly discussing and asking others if they knew what was going on as they hurried on their way.

Seeing that most of the people had arrived, Chen Shao raised his hand and pressed it down.

"Gentlemen, I have a problem now, and I need everyone to brainstorm and come up with some solutions."

An official, his face flushed, pushed through the crowd and took a step forward. "Marshal, give the order!"

Chen Shao paused for a moment, glanced around, and from the excited expressions of these people, he seemed to understand something.

"Go back here!" Chen Shao said irritably, "It's not what everyone thinks."

“Now the Jurchens want to trade with me, so they have to capture Tatars to sell.”

The term "Tatars" is a very vague and general concept, roughly referring to various nomadic tribes from the grasslands. In the eyes of the world today, they are simply a group of savages.
Similar to animals.

When they couldn't survive, they robbed everywhere, and the Western Xia suffered a lot in return, so they dealt with them with rather ruthless methods.

They would often send troops to the grasslands to wreak havoc.

Therefore, most of the people present knew about it, but they didn't take it seriously.

What's the point of buying these people?
Dirty, smelly, and rude.

The Dingnan Army had no shortage of men, and its manpower was also sufficient.

Wei Li and others even proposed reducing the army several times. If it weren't for the fortified villages where they could farm and graze livestock, maintaining such a large number of troops would indeed be a burden.

Excluding the newly established Lingwu Army, the three major legions of Yinzhou Army, Xiazhou Army, and Youyan Army each have 30,000 to 50,000 troops.

Han Shizhong stationed 20,000 men in the Helan Mountains.

The five prefectures of Hexi were home to monk soldiers, caravan escorts, and Uyghur soldiers.
When Lady Xiao last came to Xiping Prefecture, she actually said she wanted to equip the merchant caravan with divine crossbows, and she was severely reprimanded by me.

Actually, Chen Shao hadn't quite figured it out yet. Equipping the caravan with heavy weapons was already extremely necessary.

When her caravan opened up new trade routes in the Western Regions, battles frequently broke out, demonstrating her martial prowess. Just like fleets in the Age of Exploration, without sufficient military strength, upon arriving in a new place, the first thought of others would be to rob you.

So Xiao did not give up and prepared to perform well next time, explaining the pros and cons so that Chen Shao would investigate and agree.

The Western Xia army was never as large as Chen Shao's now, mainly because the Western Xia was constantly at war.

It's either fighting the Song Dynasty, fighting the Hexi Corridor, fighting the Xizhou, fighting the nomadic tribes of the grasslands, or fighting the Tibetans of the plateau.
Buying Tatars seems pointless.

However, Chen Shao knew that no matter how many soldiers there were, they would all be useful. Once the war began, it would be a truly chaotic era.

If I had a force of nomadic tribes from the grasslands, I could arm them and march from the west to seek revenge on the Jurchens.

That would have a huge restraining effect on the main battlefield.

Moreover, if they don't use them themselves, the Jurchen Tartars from Jiangnan will have to recruit these mixed barbarian tribes when they march south.

The gap widens as time goes on.

Seeing Chen Shao's resolute attitude, everyone had no choice but to temporarily put aside their prejudices and begin to seriously plan.

On the third day, as the Jurchen envoy waited anxiously, Chen Shao sent someone to meet him.

Chen Shao formally invited Balisu to meet in Montenegro to discuss future cooperation.

The Jurchen envoy was overjoyed and hurriedly left.
-
September of the fifth year of the Xuanhe reign of the Song Dynasty.

The rainy and sweltering summer has gradually faded from Bianliang City.

Because efforts were concentrated on river management, the flood did not break out in the vicinity of Gyeonggi Province.

Shandong and the Huaihe River Basin suffered greatly as a result.

Water transport on the Bian River became even busier, with a great deal of goods and grain needing to be transported into Bianliang (Kaifeng) before autumn and stored before the river freezes in winter.

Bianliang City was three times more prosperous than before, with bustling scenes of people coming and going everywhere, both inside and outside the city.

The imperial court had long ago issued an edict to Daming Prefecture, stating that the local government in the east should provide relief to the refugees there and that they should not be allowed to enter Kaifeng Prefecture.

Officials along the Jingdong East Road and Hebei East Road were cursing and cursing while carrying out disaster relief efforts, but unfortunately, the area was flooded, with many people killed or injured, and houses and fields severely damaged.

However, the imperial court was slow to allocate funds and grain, and the disaster relief efforts were not going smoothly.

Many people flocked to Hebei as a result, and then went to Yanshan Prefecture, where it was said that the Jurchen Tartars had killed everyone and there was a large amount of land that could be cultivated.

Outside Bianliang City, a group of people were gathered to welcome Tan Zhen back.

Tan Zhen is now all smiles, finally shedding his title of Marshal Xuan from Yanshan Prefecture.

From now on, I can enjoy a comfortable life in Bianliang.

His replacement was Wang Anzhong, who volunteered for the mission. He had been driven crazy by Cai Jing's constant harassment in Bianliang because of their feud.

Cai Jing, you could say he was capable, and he certainly was. Was he patriotic? Sometimes he was quite patriotic.

But above all these emotions, there was one thing that he always put first: factional strife.

This is something ingrained in the very bones of the Song Dynasty's scholar-officials.

Wang Anzhong was also an envoy and the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, but he was squeezed out of his position by Cai Jing and had no real power. He was also frequently scolded.

Because Tan Zhen had been repeatedly petitioning to resign and return to Bianliang, and with Wang Fu's strong recommendation, Emperor Huizong finally agreed.

Wang Anzhong was appointed as the military governor of Qingyuan Army, the pacification commissioner of Yanshan Prefecture in Hebei and Shandong, and the prefect of Yanshan Prefecture. Guo Yaoshi, a surrendered general of the Liao Kingdom, was appointed as the co-prefect.

These two, one a scholar and the other a warrior, guarded Yanshan Prefecture.

Whether it was the floods downstream or the war in Pingzhou, everything was peaceful and undisturbed in Bianliang.

Throughout the capital of the Song Dynasty, a harmonious scene prevailed. The previous undercurrents and the imminent collapse of the nation seemed to have vanished without a trace.

Cai Jing was indeed a master at mending the situation. No matter how dire the situation was outside, he could always maintain the prosperity of the capital.

This is why Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) liked to use him, even though he was wary of him and always on guard, he was reluctant to let him resign and return to his hometown.

Logically speaking, Cai Jing should have long since lost the qualifications to be prime minister.

However, there are two other things that everyone is quietly watching, observing how the situation will develop. They are deciding how to respond and where to stand.

One issue is the war against Liaodong, which had been deliberately forgotten by everyone some time ago, and the question of whether the Western Army should remain in power. These issues have finally been brought back to the forefront.

One petition after another was presented from different places, all discussing the same issue, and everyone's rhetoric was largely the same.

The Western Army had always been a thorn in the side of civil officials and scholars. However, at this time, they no longer mentioned it and even defended it quite a bit.

When discussing the Western Army, most accounts say that it was stationed far away and fought many bloody battles, including the conquest of Liaodong and the recovery of Yan, resulting in over 100,000 casualties.

The soldiers have worked hard. If the Western Army is left stranded outside, I fear that their morale will collapse and something unspeakable will happen.

This is clearly an attempt to exonerate the Western Army and prevent the court from holding them accountable.

To show compassion for the soldiers of the Western Army, they should be allowed to return to Shaanxi and other regions as soon as possible to serve as a bulwark for the country.

This is a complete reversal of cause and effect, ignoring the fact that the Western Army had already retreated on its own, and forcibly whitewashing the situation. Blindly lying without regard for what others think is a traditional skill of Song Dynasty civil officials.

Some people also said that the Western Army should recuperate and recover as soon as possible so that it can be deployed immediately should the country be in trouble in the future.

These statements clearly state that the so-called Western Army refers only to the armies of Jingyuan, Xihe, and Qinfeng.

Old Zhong, young Zhong, and Liu Guangshi of Fuyan Road have already been kicked out of the Western Army.

Anyone with even a slight understanding of the current situation can easily grasp the intention behind this argument: it's about guarding against Chen Shao in the Northwest.

The civil officials and scholars of the Song Dynasty, regardless of whether they belonged to the New Party or the Old Party, did not trust this newly rising power in the Northwest.

Moreover, there was extreme distrust. When they saw the court begin to reduce the size of the Western Army, they immediately became afraid. Although the Western Army was crude and annoying, it was poor.

They need to be supported by the imperial court, are relatively loyal to the court, and have no power to rebel.

Chen Shao was different; his Dingnan Army was not only strong and well-equipped, but also extremely wealthy.

When discussing the defense of Hebei in Yan region, it was generally agreed that it was necessary to re-establish military garrisons in Hebei and not to rely entirely on the new army of the Beijing garrison.

Although Hebei originally had many military towns, they are now in ruins. Of the more than 100,000 soldiers in Hebei, only one-tenth remain.

The local militia was even less reliable, and the various local militias, archery societies, and civilian organizations that had been strengthened became mere shells after the Treaty of Chanyuan, which brought more than a hundred years of peace between the Song and Liao dynasties.

Therefore, the imperial court had to re-establish the Hebei military garrison to serve as a shield for the capital, using a force of capable soldiers and skilled generals transferred from the northwest as the backbone, and recruiting Hebei civilians to form the army.

In this way, Hebei and Yanshan can be considered as one entity, with Yanshan as the outpost and Hebei as the base, forming layers of defense to deal with the possible southward invasion of the Jurchens.

Based on the military towns in Hebei, they could gather the powerful local strongmen in Yan, train and organize them into an army.

With such organization and refinement, the Yan region of Hebei should be firmly established and unshakable.

These various arguments kept swirling in Zhao Ji's ears, but he was too lazy to think about them and left them all to Cai Jing's lecture hall and council chamber for discussion.

Emperor Huizong summoned Tong Guan back to participate in the discussion, but Tong Guan claimed to be ill and did not come. Emperor Huizong sent someone to reprimand him, scolding him for disrespecting the emperor and neglecting state affairs after becoming a prince.

Tong Guan was so frightened that he rushed to the capital. He first went to Genyue and knelt down to beg for forgiveness. When Zhao Ji saw him, he found that he had indeed aged a lot. Remembering their relationship, he gently comforted him.

Tong Guan had several residences in Bianliang, making it convenient for him to stay. He had been removed from his position in the Privy Council and met with Cai Jing and others in plain clothes every day to discuss matters.

Cai Jing generally agreed with these views, but the Hebei army was in disarray, and the Yan region was newly conquered territory, so establishing military garrisons there would be too costly.

Moreover, since you are making such arrangements in Hebei and Yan to form a protective wing against the northern Tartars, you cannot ignore Hedong, an important component of the northern defense system.

Hedong also bordered the Khitan in those days, and the military was in a state of disarray, not much different from that of Hebei.

This means that Hedong must also be re-established and garrisoned with strong troops in order for the Song Dynasty to maintain a complete and stable front against the north. This would be another exorbitant expenditure.

Now that Tong Guan is free from official duties and responsibilities, he dares to say anything.

Every day, once he sat down in the council hall, he would begin to discuss the defenses of Hebei, Hedong, and the Yan region, speaking with great eloquence and authority.
As long as this defensive line is well managed, we can deal with any enemy from the north.

Tong Guan spoke very professionally. Despite his disastrous campaign against Liao, his twenty years of experience leading troops were undeniable.

Without responsibility and pressure, every word becomes a golden rule.

Cai Jing listened, his teeth itching with hatred. "Rebuilding the defense line is so easy for you to say. Where's the money?"

Where does the money come from?
After a long discussion, the group did not produce any official documents for establishing the army, but instead made personnel arrangements in advance.

Everyone agreed that Wang Bing, the current commander of the Huanqing Army, was originally an important general of the dynasty.

He could be appointed as the Pacification Commissioner to govern Hedong and Hebei, serving as the Commander-in-Chief of the Army. Wang Bing has a long-standing reputation for prestige and has made great contributions; his qualifications are sufficient, and he should be able to act independently.

And that Hebei-Hedong defense line, which everyone knows is correct, useful, and necessary.

However, construction has been delayed.

Because of a lack of money.
-
The Western Army, from some unknown point in time, has long since become an unbreakable quasi-feudal group whose ultimate goal is still its own survival and development.

This is a well-known and undeniable fact; otherwise, the court would not have devoted so much effort to guarding against the Western Army.

It was a regional military governorship, a very poor and scattered one.

If the Western Army wanted to maintain its position, its military families wanted to preserve their wealth and power and safeguard their foundation.

Their very foundation lay with the Western Xia, whose constant attacks posed a major threat to the Song Dynasty. Therefore, no matter how much the court valued civil affairs over military matters, it could not infringe upon the fundamental interests of the Western Xia army.

Now that this is no longer available, the Western Army must find another way, and Chen Shao is a very good candidate.

Chen Shao is very powerful, but he is currently safe. Even if a fight were to break out, there is room for negotiation between the two sides.

He was the son-in-law of the Zhong family, which meant he was related to the Western Army by marriage.

The Western Army was transferred out on a distant expedition, and its low- and middle-ranking officers were dismissed on the front lines. After a fierce battle, the army was severely weakened.

What I want to do most right now is to receive the imperial court's military pay and recuperate properly in my hometown.

For this reason, they can give up some benefits, such as partial troop reductions.

In fact, according to the normal course of events, the Western Army would not have had this opportunity. In the original history, after the extremely disastrous campaign against Liaodong, only a small portion of the Western Army returned to Shaanxi.

A considerable number of military horses remained in Hedong and Hebei.

After they were divided up by the imperial court, their morale plummeted. Moreover, the forced division left each of their units without sufficient strength to fight as they had before.

After the Jurchen Tartars decided to march south to attack the Song Dynasty, the Western Army left behind in Hedong and Hebei, except for Wang Bingshang who held out in Taiyuan for a while, all collapsed at the first sign of trouble, and their fighting strength was no different from that of other Song Dynasty troops.

The small group that returned to Shaanxi hadn't even finished licking their wounds when they were led out to defend the emperor by General Zhong Shizhong. As a result, their entire army was wiped out while they were in Taiyuan, and General Zhong was also killed in battle.

After Yao Gu arrived in Yan'an Prefecture, he received news that Zhong Shidao was seriously ill, and he was unable to see Zhong Shidao for a long time.

Everyone says that Old Zhong is on his deathbed, and even if they meet, they probably won't be able to reach an agreement.

Helpless, Yao Gu had no choice but to settle for second best and go find Xiao Zhong.

Throughout the journey, Yao Gu was filled with anxiety. In his eyes, the future situation was unpredictable and extremely difficult.

Old Zhong has fallen ill. He is very old, already in his seventies, and it's uncertain whether he will survive this illness.

Despite the fact that the civil officials in the imperial court had kicked Lao Zhong out of the Western Army, Lao Zhong was still the leader within the Western Army.

Without him, the Western Army needs even more time to recover.

This time, Yao Gu came to the Zhong family, and there weren't many things to discuss, mainly the imperial court's quota for troop reduction.

No, not so many! Absolutely not so many layoffs; everything else is negotiable.

The imperial court was meticulously planning to guard against these capable armies of the Song Dynasty. They didn't care whether you reduced your troops or not; they simply distributed rations and pay according to quotas.

You can keep the troops, but I'll only give you the number after the reduction; you'll have to figure out the rest yourself.

Even if Chen Shao was in danger, he didn't directly attack and rebel like the Xia traitors; it was just a matter of danger.

Now the Western Army needs a figure of importance to go to Bianliang to argue for what is right. In the past, Old Zhong would have been the first choice, but now that he is in good health, he really cannot go.

Others, lacking prestige and seniority, would be reprimanded like grandchildren upon arriving in Bianliang.

Yao Gu knew about these things, and Xiao Zhong naturally knew them too.

Upon arriving in Yongle City, at Xiao Zhong's residence, after the two sat down, Yao Gu could only manage a wry smile, opening his heart and saying whatever came to mind, no longer hiding anything.

If he were to meet the old Zhong, he would know that he was the old Zhong's junior, someone the old Zhong had personally mentored.

He could also pretend to be stupid and feign righteous indignation, forcing Lao Zhong to go to Bianliang to speak up for everyone.

Even if Lao Zhong sees through her little scheme, he won't hold it against her. After weighing the pros and cons, he will most likely go through the trouble of making the trip for everyone's benefit.

This is why everyone respects him and is willing to accept him as their leader.

Xiao Zhong is different. He's arrogant. If you say something inappropriate, he'll get up and leave without paying attention to you. That's perfectly normal.

Yao Gu sighed and said, "Old Master Zhong's illness has come on very suddenly. He was able to hold on for a while, but I heard that now even opening his eyes to see things is difficult..."

Speaking of his brother's illness, Xiao Zhong couldn't help but frown. He had spent his life on the battlefield and thought he had seen through life and death, but when he thought about his brother's passing, he couldn't help but feel sad.
"This expedition by the Western Army to conquer Liao was purely due to the torment inflicted by Tong Guan. Old Zhong has exhausted all his energy to support the entire Western Army, and he's almost reached his limit." Xiao Zhong said coldly while wiping his weapon. "That Tong Guan can still be made a king and enjoy a life of luxury in Bianliang is truly an injustice of heaven!"

Yao Gu swallowed hard. This was why he was so afraid to come to Xiao Zhong's place. Not only were things difficult to discuss, but he was also likely to be forced to hear some shocking things.

When Tong Guan was the commander in the Northwest, although the generals were not very convinced, the only one who dared to directly show his displeasure was Xiao Zhong.

Yao Gu dared not be too direct and continued to proceed step by step, saying, "I heard that the Huanqing Army will stay in Hedong and guard Hedong and Hebei together with Wang Bing."

Xiao Zhong nodded. "I've heard about it too."

Yao Gu sighed and said, "The remaining soldiers of Huanqing Army number only six or seven thousand, and they have suffered repeated defeats. If we rely on them as the backbone, even if Wang Bing and Ma Kuo have more means, it will be difficult to maintain the defense of such a strategic location for the next few years."

"If Wang Bing doesn't want to come back, so be it. He was promoted by Tong Guan and his heart is no longer with our Western Army. But the Huanqing Army are all sons of our Western Army. If possible, they all want to return to Shaanxi. This time, they are guarding Hedong and Hebei. Countless fathers, mothers, wives and children in Shaanxi are longing for them day and night."

Xiao Zhong suddenly laughed and said to Yao Gu, "After all this talk, do you want me to go to Bianliang to deliver a message for you?"

Yao Gu immediately felt embarrassed. He had been trying to explain things step by step for so long, only to find out that the other party knew everything.

Can't you at least give me some face?

Xiao Zhong did not continue to make things difficult for him, and said, "It is not impossible for me to go to Bianliang. Our Zhong family has never thought of standing idly by regarding the Western Army's affairs."

"However, now my identity is not only that of a military commander among the various routes in Shaanxi, but also the brother-in-law of Chen Shao."

At this time, Zhong Shizhong was unaware that it was possible to say he was his brother-in-law or Chen Shao's nephew.

His own troops were also eating Chen Shao's provisions; the two sides were too closely intertwined.

Xiao Zhong said, "I can no longer speak for the Western Army in the imperial court. They don't even consider us as members of the Western Army. However, Lao Zhong once told me that you don't need to worry too much. In a few years, there will be another war, and the imperial court will remember us then."

Although Lao Zhong doesn't meet with outsiders, he has met with Xiao Zhong many times.

His illness wasn't that serious; he simply didn't want to receive visitors.

In the court today, there are very few who truly understand the ferocity of the Jurchens and the vulnerability of the Song Dynasty, which is riddled with problems and easily defeated. Old Zhong is one of them.

From the very beginning, he submitted memorials to the court advising them to be wary of the Jurchens and that it would be best not to destroy the Liao dynasty, but to let the Liao and Khitan people hold out for a while longer.

Unfortunately, he overestimated the fighting strength of the Khitan, and the Liao Dynasty was destroyed too quickly.

Yao Gu frowned and said, "Still fighting? Chen Shao?"

Xiao Zhong was a little angry. He didn't know if this person was really stupid or pretending. If he was really stupid, then he was very disgusting. If he was pretending, then he was even more annoying.

So he simply stood up, said nothing, and left in a huff.

Yao Gu felt a little regretful. Why did you have to be so sarcastic with him? This isn't the old breed, this is the young one!

After leaving, Zhong Shizhong stopped in the courtyard.

Looking up, he remembered what Lao Zhong had said: whether it was Yanshan Prefecture or Huanqing Army stationed in Hebei and Yan, it was extremely dangerous!
Needless to say, the Shengjie Army in Yanshan Prefecture was no match for the Jurchen Tartars, and the Huanqing Army under Wang Bing was a defeated and remnant force.

If the Jurchens hadn't moved south in recent years, all would have been well. But once they did, their iron cavalry could have easily swept through the Yan region and Hebei province!

When that time comes, the imperial court will inevitably have to send the Western Army to defend the emperor again. Given the current situation of the Western Army, it will be difficult for them to recover their strength within five years.

Once transferred out, it will likely end in defeat.

In the next few years, looking around the Song Dynasty, the only hope is that Chen Shao's Dingnan Army will be the mainstay and hold out for a little longer.

Furthermore, in times of crisis, heroes always emerge from Hebei and Hedong.

If they can hold out until the Western Army is fully recovered, then they will still have a chance to fight the Jurchen Tartars in the Hebei region.

Old Zhong said that small tribes like the Jurchens rose to power quickly and fell just as suddenly. He added that as long as the Song Dynasty could hold out for the next few years, it would be safe for the next century!
However, the imperial court continued to isolate Chen Shao, which was tantamount to courting its own destruction.

At this time, those who are most concerned about the Song Dynasty should try to win over Chen Shao, bestow favors upon him, and solidify his position.

Xiao Zhong had always trusted his brother's words, and this time was no exception.

He himself was stationed in Yongle City and would occasionally go hunting in Hengshan. How could he not know the current strength of the Dingnan Army?

Let alone stopping Chen Shao, even if the entire Western Army were to unite, they might not be able to defeat the Yinzhou troops alone.

Those people were not honest either. They knew their own strength and that the Central Plains were vulnerable and the people were restless.

It's all thanks to Chen Shao keeping things under control.
At a time like this, you still suppress him.

Old Zhong's alignment with Chen Shao was not out of disloyalty to the Song Dynasty, but rather a manifestation of his loyalty to the emperor and his patriotism.

He saw it all too clearly.

The Jurchens were on the rise, their momentum unstoppable, supported by a powerful spirit that ensured victory in every battle.

In the future, when the Song Dynasty gathers its best troops to fight the Jurchens, it will need a figure to turn the tide.

At present, this person can only be Chen Shao, and it can only be Chen Shao.

It's laughable that Yao Gu and other Western Army generals still planned to gain Bianliang's support by taking a hard line against Chen Shao.
-
Blackwater.

This was a military headquarters established by the Western Xia Dynasty to defend against invasions by nomadic tribes from the grasslands; it has since been abolished.

A portion of the troops from Xia Prefecture were stationed there.

The Blackwater River originates here, flows through the desert, and enters the Hexi Corridor.

The nomadic tribes of the grasslands used to come in and plunder the oases along the Blackwater River.

At dawn, the east was already turning white, but the sun had not yet risen.

The light was dim, and everything seemed still sleepy, making it difficult to see clearly.

On the road outside Heishui Town, yellow sand filled the air, and the clattering of horses' hooves grew louder as they approached.

A large group of Jurchen knights escorted Wanyan Balisu to Blackwater Town to meet with Chen Shao in person.

The town originally had a garrison of more than 2,000 soldiers, who fought each other in the vicinity after the Liao and Jin dynasties attacked.

To prevent them from crossing the border, Li Xiaozhong of Xia Prefecture transferred another 3,000 men, bringing the total to 5,000, to guard Heishui Town.

This remote military town suddenly became crowded.

Chen Shao personally went out to greet Wanyan Balisu from a great distance.

The two had met once before and even shared drinks, so they became exceptionally close after this meeting.

Wanyan Balisu was wearing a vermilion brocade robe this time, with a grass-and-gold hook around his waist. He also wore a cloud-patterned crown, which complemented his dark skin. Red and black are colors that go well together.

Such attire must have been instructed by a master, making this rough Jurchen man look very proper.

On the contrary, Chen Shao, dressed in light armor, looked like a Tartar, while the man opposite him was a wealthy man from the Central Plains.

Not only him, but all of Wanyan Balisu's men were dressed impeccably. And unlike what Chen Shao had imagined, they weren't wrapped in silks and satins, looking like monkeys dressed in crowns.

Instead, it's because they're dressed appropriately and their outfits are well-coordinated that they actually look "good."

Wanyan Bali quickly dismounted, grasped Chen Shao's hand, and said, "I brought you some small gifts, nothing more. I originally planned to give you a few women from the Liao royal family as servants, but I was afraid you would suspect that I had planted spies around you."

Chen Shao gave him this year's dividends, which made Wanyan Balisu very satisfied, and he became even more enthusiastic towards Chen Shao.

"Brother, you're really funny. Come with me quickly. This is a small town on the outskirts of town, so we don't have much to offer. We've prepared a simple meal, so please don't mind."

"It's alright, it's alright. I'm used to eating delicacies from the mountains and wild game, so it's good to eat something light here. My doctor warned me that I should eat carefully, but simple food can also nourish the body. I've been fighting all year round, braving wind and snow. If I don't nourish myself now, I won't live long in the future."

Looking at his behavior, Chen Shao felt both angry and amused. Had this bastard forgotten who gave him his good life?

Seeing that I was dressed simply, did they think I was one of their poor friends?

However, Chen Shao didn't really care much about enjoyment; material enjoyment was enough once it reached a certain level.

Wanyan Balisu's doctor was right; even simple food can be nourishing.

When the two groups arrived in Heishui Town, Chen Shao's description of simple food and drink was actually a form of modesty.

But he forgot that the enemy was the Jurchen Tartars, regardless of that.

So when Wanyan Balisu saw the exquisite dishes at the banquet, he was somewhat disappointed.

This kid really wants to focus on health.

The two set up a few small tables, and the people they brought with them also took their seats, totaling about ten people.

Halfway through the meal, Chen Shao stood up to offer a toast, saying, "The other day, brother, you mentioned the Tatars. I've been thinking about it with my men for a long time since I got back. Although the Western Xia in our territory has been fighting the Song Dynasty for a long time and many people have died, we still need manpower."

"But the nomadic tribes of the grasslands don't know how to farm, and they are difficult to tame. They will run away after being captured."

Wanyan Balisu was a little anxious. He couldn't let his source of income die out. He was about to speak when Chen Shao didn't give him a chance and continued, "But since you've spoken, I will definitely give you face."

"Good brother!" Wanyan Balisu raised his wine cup and said, "In your Han Chinese words, I'll drink first as a sign of respect!"

The Jurchen people around him also showed joy on their faces.

Chen Shao said, "As for the price, I'm afraid it can't be the same as before."

"No problem, just name your price."

Chen Shao nodded and said, "How about twenty for one tael of silver?"

Wanyan Balisu frowned; this was too low. Just as he was about to speak, Chen Shao sighed, "Sigh! Fine, since I consider you a brother, fifteen it is!"

Pang Ge, who was standing next to him, glared and immediately waved his hand, saying, "No, no, Commander, please think it over! Fifteen of them? We won't even have any use for them. Wouldn't that be a losing proposition?"

"What do you know? Brother Wanyan looks like a respectable man. I do business with him not to make money!"

After saying that, he walked over to Wanyan Balisu, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "One price, ten!"

"Ten? Ten won't do! Ten is really not enough!" Meizang Pangge shouted, "I won't be able to explain this to the civil officials when I get back!"

Wei Minglitong also stood up, but he wasn't as composed as Mi Zang Pang. He blushed and advised, "General, don't act rashly."

Wanyan Balisu hesitated for a moment, and regardless of whether the other party was acting, he said, "Twelve, I'll also give you some Khitan scriptures and ancient books."

Anyway, Zonghan said that after defeating Yelü Yanxi, they would go to the grasslands every year to reduce the population.

Chen Shao immediately sat down next to him and said, "Good, good, I knew I hadn't misjudged you. But how do you plan to capture them?"

"Just send troops to capture them; those mixed barbarian tribes are no match for them."

“I have a good idea,” Chen Shao said. “That’s too slow, and you’d have to do it yourself. Why don’t you find a few powerful tribes, bribe them, supply them with weapons, and let them capture the miscellaneous barbarians from other tribes?”

"Anyway, they're always fighting each other. They'll be happy to take even a little benefit. You can take twenty or thirty coins from them for one tael of silver, and then give them to me for one tael and twelve coins. You don't have to do anything; you can make money sitting down!"

Wanyan Bali nodded repeatedly, "Not bad."

He already had a plan in mind: he could lower the price even further. What did these scoundrels know? They weren't worth that much money; a little extra would be enough to keep them working their lives for him.

As Chen Shao poured him wine, he said, "I've already inquired about it for you. There's a tribe called the Kereit and the Tatar tribe. They're fierce and have many men, and they're close to our border. They'd be perfect for being your henchmen."

(End of this chapter)