You have truly caused me great suffering!

"Pharmacist Guo?"

Chen Shao looked at the military report, frowned, and said, "It's that bastard again."

Guo Yaoshi was quite the figurehead in this chaotic war between the Song, Liao, and Jin dynasties.

He was originally a leader of the Han army recruited by the Liao people, then he followed his elder brother Dong Xiaochou in rebelling against the Liao, then betrayed his elder brother and surrendered to the Liao, and then rebelled against the Liao again and surrendered to the Song.

After surrendering to the Song Dynasty, he became the top general of Yanshan Prefecture. When the Jurchens invaded the south, he betrayed the Song Dynasty and surrendered to the Jin Dynasty.

Now, tens of thousands of Han Chinese from Yanshan Prefecture have been recruited to assist in the battle at Wuhui Ridge, which may be the most important offensive battle yet.

"This man is fickle. Since he can subdue the Jin, he might be able to subdue us as well. Should we send someone to make contact with him?"

Chen Shao nodded. "It's worth a try. After all, if we can persuade them to surrender, we'll save a lot of soldiers from dying."

"But don't get your hopes up too high. His men all hate the Song people to the core."

Mei Cang Pang Ge scratched his forehead and asked, puzzled, "What does his hatred for the Song people have to do with us?"

Chen Shao glared at him irritably, "Don't talk nonsense."

Everyone in the hall was trying to suppress their laughter.

“The people of Yan might not be able to tell the difference,” Li Tangchen explained earnestly.

Chen Shao put down his pen, stood up, and paced a few steps. "Anyway, it's just a test. It would be best if he surrendered. If he doesn't, we'll launch a fierce attack on Wuhui Ridge."

"This grandson surrenders to everyone, there's no reason why he won't surrender to me alone," Chen Shao suddenly thought. "If I send someone who's good at talking to persuade him to surrender, the chances of success might be higher."

Unfortunately, Ma Kuo wasn't one of their own.

Otherwise, he would definitely be the best choice.

Actually, Yuwen Xuzhong was not bad either, but unfortunately he was even less likely to be of use to us.

"Who is willing to persuade Pharmacist Guo to surrender?"

None of the people in the hall were skilled in this, and they looked at each other in bewilderment.

Mei Zang Pang Ge said, "King Dai, give me 20,000 men, and I will go and capture him."

Chen Shao's heart stirred, and he suddenly remembered that when Zhang Jue staged a coup, Guo Yaoshi had unusually sent troops to support him.

Moreover, his later surrender to the Jin dynasty was also somewhat related to this matter.

If a Liao general of similar status were found, it might have a surprising effect.

"Send someone to inform Meng Nuan and ask him to send someone to persuade Guo Yaoshi to surrender."

Like Zhang Jue, Meng Nuan was once a general of Liao, and now he is doing very well under my command.

Guo, a seasoned pharmacist, would certainly be able to see how well he was doing now.

The Dingnan Army was riding high, just like the Jurchens when they first rose up, while the Jurchens seemed to be on the decline.

The only concern is that this Pharmacist Guo has been following Zong Wang from beginning to end.

From Zongwang's perspective, the Jurchens seemed invincible, never suffering a defeat.
It would be best to fight a battle and let him know that it's not that Wanyan Zonghan is incompetent, but that the Dingnan Army is too capable.

Strangely enough, this year seems destined to be a year of fierce battles. In previous years, the flood season would begin around this time.

Especially in recent years, there has been an unusually large amount of rainfall, but there has been no heavy rain this year.

After seeing everyone off and finishing up the day's reports, when I returned to the courtyard, the wind was blowing lightly under the eaves, and the eaves and threshold were just wet.

Chen Shao looked at the fine spring rain and secretly shook his head.

God, you really love making things worse! To make this battle even more intense, you even stopped the downpour, didn't you?
-
Weizhou, Yinchengfang.

The troops have gathered here and have accumulated sufficient strength.

They were just waiting for Han Shizhong's order to attack the final pass, Wuhui Ridge.

Once the Wuhui Ridge is breached, the flat North China Plain will be open, allowing the Dingnan Army, primarily composed of cavalry, to roam freely.

The number of warhorses and packhorses of the Dingnan Army was far greater than that of the Jurchens. Even though they plundered most of the Liao people's warhorses, they still could not compare with the Dingnan Army, which possessed three major horse farms.

In particular, the occupation of Yunnei deprived the Jin state of its means of obtaining warhorses from the grasslands, but the Dingnan Army could.

Just as Han Shizhong was preparing to set off, Meng Nuan arrived from the rear.

Meng Nuan's army has expanded to more than 10,000 men, mostly from various prefectures in Yunnei.

Seeing that he had only brought a dozen or so riders with him, Han Shizhong was a little puzzled. "Meng Nuan, what brings you here?"

Meng Nuan leaned closer and whispered, "By order of the Prince of Dai, I have been sent to Wu Hui Ridge to find Guo Yaoshi."

Upon hearing this, Han Shizhong immediately understood that the Prince of Dai wanted to persuade Guo Yaoshi to surrender.

If this matter can be accomplished, that would be the best outcome. If he were to defect, Wuhui Ridge would be breached without a fight.

"Are you sure?"

Meng Nuan shook her head and said, "We can only do our best."

No one knows what Pharmacist Guo is thinking; it's impossible to deduce his thoughts using common sense.

Meng Nuan glanced around and saw that the troops here were indeed strong and well-equipped. Even without Guo Yaoshi's defection, it seemed that they had a chance to break through Wu Hui Ridge.

He couldn't help but feel fortunate for his choice; otherwise, he might have had to face such an attack from the army.

It's enough to make you despair just thinking about it.

Because he was in the Dingnan Army, he knew how great their war potential was. Supplies were always being delivered, and the key was that the soldiers, from top to bottom, were eager to make meritorious contributions.

This thirst for military glory will transform into their boundless fighting spirit, and the resulting army will be truly terrifying.

Han Shizhong did not stop deploying his troops just because Meng Nuan's men went to persuade him to surrender.

In his view, even if he wanted to persuade the other side to surrender, he should fight a few battles first to show them his strength, which would increase the chances of success.
-
This invasion of the Jin Dynasty to the south can be considered a second invasion, and a second invasion in a very short period of time.

Because the last experience was too painful.

After the war began, more and more people flocked to Hedong.

The fact that everyone knew that the Dingnan Army was stationed in Hedong shows that they recognized the strength of the Dingnan Army and believed that they were capable of fighting against the Jurchen soldiers.

There was even a period when the area around Kaifeng Prefecture was deserted.

The central government naturally noticed this phenomenon as well.

Wu Min left the palace, but this time he didn't go with anyone else; instead, he went to meet the emperor alone.

But the result still left him very disappointed.

The emperor insisted that Chen Shao personally lead a large army to garrison outside Kaifeng Prefecture.

Isn't this like inviting a wolf into the house?

The Emperor is terrified by the Jurchen Tartars; he hasn't recovered from the last incident.

It seems we can't count on the government!
Wu Min thought bitterly.

He even harbored a rebellious thought, carefully reviewing all the princes, and felt that the Ninth Prince might be a good ruler. During a time of national crisis, he once went alone to the Jin Kingdom's camp to negotiate, staying for half a month before returning.

Wu Min arrived outside the palace, boarded her servant's carriage, and was escorted back by her household guards.

The roads in Bianliang were very wide and flat, and the carriages traveled on them with little bump.

This is why almost all officials in the Song Dynasty wanted to stay in Bianjing, because compared to this place, everywhere else was like the countryside.

It's laughable that those ignorant people flocked to the east bank of the river!
In her heart, Wu Min cursed Geng Nanzhong to the core, angry that he had raised such a cowardly official who then turned around and sided with an outsider, which was a disgrace to the scholar-officials.

We'll only feel better when we strip this man of his official robes and ruin his reputation!
Thinking of this, Wu Min suddenly felt powerless. Even in Bianliang, they didn't have much of an advantage.

The current government is controlled by Wei Li and Cai Jing.

With Cai Jing's prestige and experience, having cultivated his influence in Bianliang for nearly twenty years, who could possibly be his rival?

Wu Min sighed. Suddenly, a commotion broke out outside. Wu Min lifted the curtain and saw several palace eunuchs arguing with someone not far away.

"Go and see what's going on," Wu Min said to the servant.

A short while later, the servant returned, bowing his head and saying, "Sir, it's a servant from Genyue who's making purchases for the Emperor and got into a dispute with the merchants."

Wu Min frowned and said, "This is outrageous!"

The servant laughed and said, "Sir, you don't know this, but the Emperor Emeritus often complains that his spending is not as good as before, and since he has no money from the Imperial Treasury, he has sent people to rob the city."

"It's all over the place that countless merchants in Bianliang have been robbed. Whoever gets robbed is considered unlucky. These days, the people of Bianliang are most afraid of encountering these blue-robed eunuchs. They call them debt-collecting devils."

Wu Min recalled the Emperor's temperament; being penniless could indeed drive him crazy. Sending people to rob people in the streets was probably not a direct order from him, but he must have given hints to his subordinates.

Previously, he commanded Cai Jing, Liang Shicheng, Zhu Mian, and Li Yan. Now, however, he can only command some minor eunuchs.

As a member of the old party of scholar-officials who had been suppressed by Emperor Huizong's power for more than a decade, Wu Min felt a sense of satisfaction and a sense of catharsis.

The carriage started moving again, and after a short while, Wu Min suddenly opened her eyes wide.

Your Majesty!

Yes, if we're talking about who in Bianliang or the entire Song Dynasty still has the prestige and seniority to stand up against that old scoundrel Cai Jing, then it's undoubtedly the Emperor Emeritus.

Are there few people dissatisfied with those barbarians in the Northwest?
They only dared not show their faces because of the overwhelming power of the Dingnan Army. What if the Emperor Emeritus came out to take charge?

The retired emperor simply enjoyed playing around; his political maneuvering skills remained, though they differed from those of the current emperor.

The current emperor doesn't care at all about losing power; as an emperor, he seems happy as long as he can live.

The retired emperor, however, was different. His desires were boundless, and he probably dreamed of returning to the pinnacle of power.

Thinking of this, Wu Min's heart raced. He leaned against the back of the carriage and closed his eyes.
-
The Xiao family arrived in Hedong.

At this moment, she was snuggling in Chen Shao's arms, acting coquettishly and throwing a little tantrum, her body warm and soft, her fragrance intoxicating.

This was his own purse, and Chen Shao relied on her for many things, so he had to use sweet words to please her.

As for whether Xiao believed it or not, and how much he believed it, Chen Shaoquan didn't care.

Anyway, I already said it.

On the surface, Xiao believed him and nestled in the arms of this powerful but petty man, trying to please him.

If a third person overheard what two people were saying, it would probably make them cringe.

While they offered each other ample emotional support, they were also secretly cursing each other in their hearts.

These two know each other too well; they both know what the other wants from them, and they need each other.

They stopped pretending and eagerly made love until only heavy breathing remained in the room. They were both too exhausted to even speak before they finally stopped.

Chen Shao rested against the pillows, while Xiao Shi lay softly on his chest, the blanket only draped over her thighs, her back smooth and covered in fine sweat.

Silk, satin, and cloth clothes were scattered from the bed to the floor, a chaotic mess.

Xiao recovered quickly. Before long, she took a bath, got dressed, and started getting ready at her dressing table.

Her hairstyle was casual, with her long hair tied up at her temples, resembling a smooth and natural stroke on a drawing paper, and her soft, black hair had a healthy sheen.

What's most beautiful is her flat forehead and the hairline where her hair meets her hair. Her black hair contrasts with her fair skin, like a traditional Chinese ink painting of a beautiful woman on a white sheet of rice paper.

But her colors were not so monotonous; her vermilion lips and the shimmering gold thread embellishing the collar of her dress were both elegant and noble.

"After you win the battle in the Central Plains, will you be able to lead your troops to the sea?"

Chen Shao asked, "What, is it that making money from camels in the desert is no longer enough for you? Are you now interested in the business of the Maritime Trade Office?"

Xiao turned around and looked at Chen Shao with a smile.

Her eyes were bright, and she looked over with a half-smile, as if she had a deeper meaning.

Chen Shao knew that her usual expression was not like this either; she was indeed a very unique woman.

She possesses neither the melancholy of a woman lamenting the passing of spring nor the frivolousness of a playful woman; rather, she is shrewd, wise, and carries a touch of arrogance.

This is just how she views herself; Chen Shao can imagine that when she looks at others, she might exude that arrogance.

"She's your woman. If you can fight her, of course you should work hard to make money for the master."

Chen Shao smiled but didn't say anything. If they fought all the way to the estuary, his territory would seem too narrow.

But upon closer reflection, it's really not a big deal.

At this point, who cares about territory anymore?

Just let your subordinates infiltrate everywhere without restraint.

They wouldn't give themselves an excuse since they hadn't fallen out with the Song Dynasty.

If this battle goes smoothly enough, it's not impossible for me to lead my troops into Bianliang.

"Tell me about the Western Regions."

Seeing that he did not give a definite answer, Xiao did not ask any further questions. She smiled and said, "There is nothing much to say about the Western Regions. Recently, there has been a new Yelü Dashi who controls a large trade route. You should help him."

Chen Shao knew that expansion in the Western Regions would bring great benefits, but he didn't trust the local forces there enough.

Without him personally overseeing the situation, he feared it would spiral out of control and create a state within a state in the Western Regions.

If he were still stationed in Xiping Prefecture, he would have already boldly ventured into the Western Regions.

You must understand, I'm currently in Hedong, which is a hundred and eight thousand miles away from the Western Regions.
Therefore, he has always intended to control power in the Western Regions.

It seems like a good idea to let her focus her energy on the east for the time being.

Firstly, in the Central Plains, Chen Shao was not worried about the emergence of a force that he could not control.

Their own army could appear at any time, and the Central Plains were destined not to be controlled by merchant caravans.
"Even for your sake, I will take over a few seaports."

Chen Shao suddenly spoke with great conviction.

Madam Xiao immediately beamed with joy, leaned close to him, and said, "Trust me, you're sure to make a fortune going to sea!" (End of Chapter)