You have truly caused me great suffering!

At Tieshan Port, everything is proceeding at breakneck speed.

Many soldiers washed their horses by the river and led them around.

They are adapting, and so are the horses.

The vanguard has already headed to Zhenhai Prefecture, led personally by Qu Duan.

As more people and horses arrived, each person and horse had to rest and acclimatize on land for two days.

Meanwhile, the construction of the port was in full swing.

This led to a strange phenomenon: the soldiers were leisurely resting and letting their horses graze, while the craftsmen and laborers were busy working up a fever pitch.

Money makes the world go round; this applies to everything in the world, even matters of national importance.

The caravan was wealthy, so whatever they wanted to do, they had exceptional execution capabilities.

Once the order is given, it will be implemented quickly. This place is undoubtedly a dual-use military and civilian seaport.

This connects Liaodong and Shandong, allowing them to exchange goods by sea, saving an astonishing amount of transport capacity.

This is also why Chen Shao never gave the caravans military power. Even if he didn't give them military power, but only defensive escort caravans, they almost ruined all the countries in the Western Regions.

In fact, the original version of Guangyuantang was even more terrifying than before it was weakened; back then, it even had a secret service organization.

On the banks of the Xigou River, Dong Sanqi was leading a horse-riding veteran who had suffered hardship; he looked quite energetic.

Having grown up by the sea, traveling by boat is not uncomfortable for him at all.

Dong Sanqi was a very lively young man. He was the grandson of Old Man Dong, a veteran of Daoyu Water Village. He enlisted in the army in Dengzhou and became a member of the Dingnan Navy.

He spoke in a Dengzhou dialect and chatted incessantly with an old soldier who was resting against a big tree.

In Shandong, the closer to the sea, the stronger the local dialect accent.

Dong Sanqi's Dengzhou dialect was very standard, so Liu Jin, who came from Guanzhong, found it very awkward to hear.

Fortunately, after spending more than a month together, they were able to communicate normally again.

"Brother Liu, do you really think you can become an official if you fight in a war?"

Liu Jin, who had been listless, suddenly perked up upon hearing this. He remained silent for a moment, lost in thought, before saying, "What was false before is true now, but what is true is what we hear from the Prince of Dai."

"How do you say that?"

Liu Jin chuckled and asked, "Who was the most powerful person you met before you joined the army?"

Dong Sanqi thought for a while, "It's probably the commander of Daoyu Village. I worked for my grandfather at his residence before."

"How many sons does that bird-like commander have?"

"Seven, not counting those outside."

“He has seven sons, nephews, and grandnephews. They have money, so they have women and many children. But there are only so many official positions, and these officials will promote you or their own children.”

"Moreover, they are born with access to education, eat beef and mutton, are stronger and more knowledgeable than you, so you have no chance of turning your life around."

Liu Jin said, "In the Northwest, before the King of Dai appeared, the military camp was like this. But our King of Dai is about to ascend the throne, and when all the kings, nobles, generals and ministers in the world are replaced, this pit will finally be empty."

"Several of my old comrades from the Western Army have made it big now. This campaign against Liaodong is an opportunity that Commander Qu has desperately seized. There won't be another one like it. It's either death or a fight for your future!"

After listening, Dong Sanqi was confused, but also felt very excited.

He's already quite satisfied with his salary as a soldier in the military.

I never expected Brother Liu to risk his life like this.

But when I think of the mansion where the commander of Daoyu Village lived, his lavish lifestyle, and even his maids who were practically glowing white.

I didn't dare look at her for long that day. After just one glance, I immediately lowered my head. I only remember that the maid was wearing a bright yellow silk skirt, with a small, delicate green parrot-embroidered shoe sticking out from under the skirt. She was very pretty.

"Brother Dong, you're right, we have to risk our lives!"
-
Taiyuan, Marshal's Mansion.

Looking at Yuwen Xuzhong, who was diligently and meticulously organizing the catalog and documents, Chen Shao couldn't help but chuckle.

Yuwen Xuzhong remained calm and composed, showing no sign of panic even under Chen Shao's watchful gaze.

This person is indeed quite capable; no wonder he was able to become an undercover agent in the Jin Dynasty after the Jingkang Incident and even rise to the position of Imperial Advisor.

"Uncle Tong."

Chen Shao couldn't help but exclaim.

Yuwen Xuzhong then turned around and asked with a smile, "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"

"Come on, let's talk."

Bookshelves easily collect dust, so Yuwen Xuzhong patted the dust off his hands and walked over to Chen Shao.

"sit!"

Yuwen Xuzhong then realized that Chen Shao was sitting cross-legged.

"Your resignation from your official post in Bianliang and your appointment as a 'literary' official in the Marshal's Mansion is a complete downfall."

Yuwen Xuzhong smiled and said, "This humble official came to serve Your Majesty only because I admire Your Majesty's achievements."

What books were you packing up just now?

"It is Sima Qian's Zizhi Tongjian. It seems that His Majesty has been interested in reading some history lately."

Yuwen Xuzhong sighed inwardly, "You shouldn't have read Mr. Sushui's Zizhi Tongjian when you studied history. It doesn't teach you how to usurp the throne."

Chen Shao shook his head. "I'm just flipping through it casually. I don't usually read these kinds of books. It's because a few days ago, a captain from the Mukden tribe in my personal guard had a son and wanted me to name him. These Tanguts are illiterate and think that just because I'm the king, they're so learned."

"I can only flip through the pages randomly, and if I come across a word that sounds easy to pronounce, I'll just give it to him."

Yuwen Xuzhong didn't believe a word of it and laughed, "Your Majesty is right. Naming should be done according to one's heart. Otherwise, if too much effort is put into the name, the baby may not be able to bear the expectation and it will drain its energy."

"Since we've mentioned Zizhi Tongjian, which is a historical book, Shutong must have read many historical texts, having read extensively."

"No, no, I have only skimmed through many of the works of my predecessors."

"So what did you see in the history books?"

Yuwen Xuxin thought to himself, "Here it comes! Perhaps this is my test to join the group?"

He took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled, trying to calm himself down.

Then, putting yourself in Chen Shao's shoes, imagine what a powerful and ambitious minister who is about to usurp the throne would like to hear at this moment.

"Divine artifacts may change, but the Mandate of Heaven shall prevail; the founding emperors in history are all revered for generations."

Chen Shao laughed and interrupted him, "Uncle Tong, I'm not testing you, I'm not that bored. I just wanted to chat with you about my reading experiences. You're a scholar, I'm a soldier. Han Yu said one should not be ashamed to learn from others." "Since you're not being honest, I'll tell you what's on my mind." Chen Shao waved his hand to stop Yuwen Xuzhong from arguing, and continued, "Although I haven't read much, I have read these historical records, and I only saw eight words in them."

"Which eight characters?"

Yuwen Xuzhong was not greatly disturbed, only feeling that the Prince of Dai would surely search the historical records for a legitimate basis for his usurpation of the throne.

Chen Shao suddenly became serious. He straightened his back and said, "In times of prosperity, the people suffer; in times of ruin, the people suffer."

Yuwen Xuzhong's eyes glazed over for a moment, and he unconsciously looked at Chen Shao.

"The Taihang Mountains have eight passes, who doesn't know that? Now that I have taken over Hedong and stationed my troops at the Yanmen camp, I have a standing force of 100,000. If I can also draw on 30,000 to 50,000 elite troops, I can march into Hebei and gather the righteous army by taking any of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains. What need is there for Zong Ze?"

"Why didn't I do that? Because I wanted to hold Yanmen Pass, recover Yunnei, and defend the country's borders, so that the people of the Central Plains would not be ravaged by the Tartars. I held off Zonghan in Yunnei, hoping that the Song Dynasty could hold off Zongwang. I gave Hebei to you, and you failed to defend it!"

"The lands of Qin, Jin, Yan, and Zhao have always produced strong armies. Now I have them all, yet I do not recruit a single soldier. I want them to cultivate in spring and harvest in autumn, so that every family has surplus grain, the elderly and weak are cared for, and women and children have someone to rely on."

"My soldiers follow me because I reward merit, and they hope to be ennobled and promoted with me. But that is not my ambition. Otherwise, I would have expanded my army long ago. If not a million, I would have at least 300,000. With the current military strength of the Song Dynasty, who can stop me?"

Every word Chen Shao said was precise and irrefutable.

Yuwen Xuzhong gradually sensed something was wrong. He felt as if he was being led by the nose, but he had no way to stop it.

I really wanted to refute him, but I couldn't argue with any of his words.

"The reason I didn't do that is because what I want to do is not to repeat what happened in history books. To change a group of kings and generals, to stage hundreds of years of wealth and glory, and then, in the bleak autumn wind, to change the map again, and to see the rise and fall of dynasties."

At this moment, Yuwen Xuzhong no longer had the same mindset as when dealing with Chen Shao; he was now trembling.

Finally, his lips trembled, and he asked, "May I ask what Your Majesty's ambitions are?"

"Me?" Chen Shao stood up, put his hands behind his back, looked at the wall behind the marshal's desk, and gently pulled it open. It was a map.

"I want the barbarians to dare not covet the Central Plains, the people to not freeze or starve to death, the poor to be able to produce noble sons, and the common people to live with dignity. As for the throne, it is not my goal, but merely a tool. Do you think Zhao Ji could help me achieve my wishes while he is on the throne?"

Yuwen Xuzhong was soaked through, especially his back; this conversation felt like he was in a furnace.

No wonder those who had met the Prince of Dai all said he was a sincere person.

He is indeed qualified to be sincere. He doesn't need to hide his ambitions, because they are not schemes or tricks, but lofty aspirations and soaring ambitions.

He could no longer muster even a trace of hatred or resentment towards the Prince of Dai. As for the Song Dynasty, why should it be called "Song"?

He finally understood why Zhong Shidao, Zhong Shizhong, Zhang Xiaochun, Zhang Kejian, Li Tangchen, and Zhang Shuye had sided with the Prince of Dai.

Yuwen Xuzhong once wanted to fight against the Dingnan Army in Bianliang, but he fell into despair as one by one his old friends or people with high reputation in the country defected.

He came to the Marshal's Mansion seeking an answer. Originally, Yuwen Xuzhong believed that only by figuring out what the Prince of Dai was using to bewitch people could there be a way to break the spell.

But now that I understand, I haven't found a way to solve it at all.

Or perhaps they simply don't want to discover it.

In this world, it's always the bystanders who see things more clearly. The further you stand, the clearer things become. If you're confused even when you're on the outside, don't expect to find the answers by getting involved.

Even getting just a little closer can turn you into someone caught in the middle of it all.
-
The way of Heaven is constant.

The torrential rain in Youyan was due to climate change. It had blocked Wanyan Zhamu's army back then, and now it had also stopped Zhu Lingling's troops.

The rain in the sky had become almost nonexistent. However, after several days of torrential rain, the water levels of the rivers crisscrossing the Pinglu area had risen sharply, churning and rushing through the valleys.

The air in the mountain roads was saturated with moisture, and the roads had become extremely muddy. The valley roads that used to be dusty were now like a flowing river of mud.

At that time, let alone fighting, even marching involved struggling through mud.

Along both sides of the road, soldiers of the Dingnan Army, covered in mud and looking exhausted, sat or stood in the mud.

The road was filled with laborers and auxiliary soldiers, pushing heavily loaded carts. Everyone was squeezing out every last bit of strength, but the convoy was still moving slowly.

Zhu Lingling remained calm and immediately ordered everyone to rest on the spot and stop wading through the mud.

When it comes to fighting in mountainous areas like Youyan and Yunnei, the frost-prone season is an unavoidable topic; it's incredibly grueling.

Anyway, time is on our side. If we force an attack now, it would be like giving Zhang Jue a chance to fight back when his mother gave him one. It would be bad if Guo Yaoshi turned the tables on us.

"The commander-in-chief has ordered us to move into Shicheng and wait for the rain to stop!"

Dozens of riders hurried past on the road. None of the riders wore armor, just to reduce the weight on their horses as they moved through the mud.

As they rode through the area, they shouted loudly, which invigorated everyone who heard them.

Who wants to roll around in this mud?

When it comes to Marshal Zhu's military tactics, he always treated his soldiers like his own children when there was no fighting. Only when faced with a tough battle would he harden his heart and become cold-blooded.

They treat us ordinary soldiers very well on a regular basis.

Many soldiers and officers who had been catching their breath by the roadside stood up and went to Shicheng to rest.

The city was not small, but when the Ever Victorious Army retreated, they took all the people away, fearing that those left behind would become laborers for the Dingnan Army.

But the house is still there.

If you go too late, all the good spots will probably be taken.

Old Zhu did not feel any pressure in this matter. His orders were to launch a feint attack to cover Qu Duan's troops in a surprise attack.

The goal has already been achieved; everything we're doing now is beyond our usual capabilities. We'll take whatever benefits we can get.

If all else fails, preserving strength should be the priority. If one were to persecute subordinates for the sake of military merit, it would be disastrous if the Prince of Dai found out.

The sound of hooves was like raindrops. Wanyan Zongwang sat on the horse, his face ashen.

After overcoming countless hardships, they finally arrived here.

Before us lies the Yanshan Mountains; beyond the Yanshan Mountains, flat land stretches out in the distance.

Once the rain subsided and they advanced to the Pinglu area, he was confident that he could fight the Dingnan army to the death.

Unlike previous wars between the Central Plains and foreign tribes, this time the Central Plains side relied more on cavalry.

This Dingnan army from the northwest had far more warhorses than the Jurchens.

Moreover, their fighting style was greatly influenced by the Western Xia army, and they relied heavily on cavalry guerrilla support.

During this period of frost healed, Wanyan Zongwang felt it was his opportunity.

He wanted to avenge the humiliation suffered at Baigou River.

Watching the smoke columns rising from the watchtowers between the Yanshan Mountains, standing majestically amidst the drizzle.

The wind howled, seemingly the cries of countless western barbarians! (End of Chapter)