[Fantasy] Water Margin Heroes (Complete) - 13-15

Chapter Nine: The First Night in the Imperial Palace

After sending everyone back, Zhang Yang headed towards the inner palace. At the palace gate, he saw Wu Song and several eunuchs of various ranks waiting. Upon seeing Zhang Yang, Wu Song simply gave a military salute, while the eunuchs knelt and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Zhang Yang helped up a eunuch in his forties, saying, "Get up, all of you. What were your responsibilities in the palace before?"

Seeing Zhang Yang personally help him up, the eunuch seemed to straighten his back as he rose, bowing his head and saying, "This humble eunuch (in the Song Dynasty, eunuchs referred to themselves as 'this humble one' or 'this lowly person' when addressing royalty and high officials; the term 'slave' only appeared in the Qing Dynasty) Huang Baoyuan was originally the head of the Inner East Gate Division (responsible for the entry and exit of palace personnel; not only could they restrict movement, but if someone was found carrying suspicious items, they could directly report to the Imperial City Division or the Secretariat). They were all the personal servants of the former Emperor Zhao."

Although Zhang Yang was well-versed in the histories of various dynasties, he hadn't studied these eunuch positions much, and upon hearing this, he said, "From now on, you..." "Then you shall be the Grand Steward of the Palace, in charge of all the eunuchs and maids. The day after tomorrow, send me a list of all the important matters in the palace."

Huang Bao was originally only in charge of the affairs at the palace gates. Although Emperor Huizong often traveled incognito, he always used the back gate, and the two had little interaction, so his loyalty was naturally limited. Upon hearing that he had been given such a high position, he immediately knelt down again and kowtowed, saying, "This humble servant will certainly serve His Majesty with all his might."

Zhang Yang helped Huang Bao up and said, "Do a good job, I will not treat you unfairly."

Huang Bao's eyes sparkled and he said, "This humble servant only asks to serve His Majesty well, and dares not hope for anything else."

Zhang Yang nodded and said to Wu Song, "Where should I rest tonight?"

Wu Song said, "Initially, Yanfu Palace is chosen. If His Majesty is not satisfied, we can change to another palace."

Yanfu Palace was a palace newly built in the third year of the Zhenghe era, mainly for Emperor Huizong's enjoyment, and was a garden-style architectural complex.

Zhang Yang nodded and said, "Let's go with Yanfu Palace."

Zhang Yang followed Wu Song and his personal eunuch through the inner palace, arriving at Yanfu Palace outside the North Gate. Only then did Zhang Yang realize the vastness of Yanfu Palace; its size rivaled that of all the palaces in the original inner palace.

Wu Song led Zhang Yang to the main palace, where several eunuchs and palace maids waited. After a round of greetings and salutations, Zhang Yang entered the palace.

Once inside, Zhang Yang was struck by the palace's extravagance. Everywhere was ornately decorated, and the furnishings were masterpieces of calligraphy and painting, renowned porcelain, and exquisitely crafted ornaments—each piece priceless. Remarkably, the overall atmosphere was one of refined elegance, likely related to Emperor Huizong's tastes.

The personal eunuch asked, "Does Your Majesty wish to bathe?"

Zhang Yang, whose march from Liangshan to Dongjing had been delayed for over twenty days, was feeling unwell and replied, "Yes."

The eunuch led Zhang Yang into the bathroom before taking his leave. A beautiful palace maid then carefully undressed Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang, a seasoned warrior, was not intimidated by this display; instead, it fueled his anticipation for the upcoming battles.

As Zhang Yang entered the water, he saw four women begin to undress. With

a gentle lift of their jade-like hands, their robes fell away, revealing the youthful and beautiful bodies of the four women before him—a feast for the eyes. Looking at their ample breasts and hips, Zhang Yang felt a surge of heat. The women serving Zhang Yang in the bathing room constantly rubbed against him.

Zhang Yang didn't know if they were trying to win his favor, or if Emperor Huizong simply enjoyed this kind of thing, but Zhang Yang certainly didn't object to it. His hands lingered on the four women's bodies, and soon they were all panting softly. However , Zhang Yang wanted to try out a few empresses and concubines, so he didn't actually mount them.

After a long while, Zhang Yang finished bathing. He walked to the bathroom amidst the disappointed looks of the four women, where his personal eunuch greeted him, saying, "Does Your Majesty wish for any concubines to serve you in bed?"

Zhang Yang, already aroused by the four palace maids, replied, "Yes, summon Empress Zheng, Consort Wei, and the Crown Princess."

These three women were recorded in historical texts; they were all captured and taken to the Jin Dynasty during the Jingkang Incident. Consort Wei was the most famous. This was because she was the mother of Emperor Gaozong of Song, Zhao Gou. Empress Zhu was taken to Shangjing with Emperor Huizong, but she wasn't taken there afterward; instead, she was sent to the Laundry House as a slave. In fact, the Laundry House in Shangjing was the official brothel of the Jin Dynasty, exclusively for the entertainment of the Jin royal family.

Later, Empress Dowager Wei married Gaitian Dawang as a concubine. Gaitian Dawang, whose real name was Wanyan Zongxian, served as prime minister alongside Emperor Hailing. Princess Roufu, daughter of Emperor Huizong, also married Gaitian Dawang, sharing a husband with Consort Wei. Fifteen years later, she was redeemed by Zhao Gou and returned to the Southern Song Dynasty, becoming Empress Dowager Wei.

Empress Zheng also lived a life of ignominy for over a decade. Only Empress Zhu, the wife of Emperor Qinzong Zhao Huan, died for her principles. At that time, Zhao Huan was still the crown prince, and she would have become his wife. Emperor Shizong of Jin issued an edict praising her for "purity and integrity, unwavering in her virtue. Sober amidst the drunkenness, she did not yield to her principles," and posthumously conferred upon her the title of "Lady of Chastity of Jingkang County." The fact

that more women survived the Jingkang Incident than died for their principles is related to the Northern Song Dynasty's emphasis on survival over chastity. It was only after the Southern Song Dynasty that Neo-Confucian scholars advocated that women sacrifice their lives to preserve their chastity, and this concept was gradually accepted by the scholar-officials. Through repeated preaching by moralists and vigorous propaganda by rulers, by the Ming and Qing dynasties, women's social activities and living space gradually shrank, while the number of chastity arches commemorating their martyrdom increased. Faced with the choice between survival and chastity, women had no choice but to die for their cause.

Upon hearing this, the eunuch went to make arrangements.

Zhao Huan, however, was a very filial son. During the Jingkang Incident, he had represented Emperor Huizong in seeking peace with the Jin army. Hearing that his father had been sent to the Yuqing Palace to cultivate Taoism, he wanted to accompany him, but Dong Ping's subordinates, without Zhang Yang's permission, forbade him from leaving the Crown Prince's residence, so he refrained.

Consort Zhu, knowing his weak nature, feared he might commit suicide, and therefore stayed by his side to comfort him.

As the two were grieving, they heard Zhang Yang demanding that his principal wife, Consort Zhu, be taken to the palace.

Zhao Huan knew that this departure would likely be their last, and he embraced Consort Zhu, weeping bitterly.

Consort Zhu, knowing she would inevitably suffer humiliation, also wept uncontrollably.

Seeing the two reluctant to part, the eunuch, though heartbroken, feared Zhang Yang's punishment and urged, "The new emperor is still waiting at Yanfu Palace. Please, Consort Zhu, have compassion on us and leave as soon as possible."

Zhao Huan, being a weak man, released Consort Zhu upon hearing this and sobbed to himself.

Consort Zhu thought for a moment, then rose and said, "Please allow me to change my clothes before seeing the new emperor."

The eunuch assumed Consort Zhu had come to her senses, knowing that if she won Zhang Yang's favor, she would remain a powerful figure in the palace, and naturally dared not object.

Before long, Consort Zhu and the eunuch headed towards Yanfu Palace. On the way, they encountered Empress Zheng and Consort Wei, causing the three to feel extremely awkward. Upon

arriving at Yanfu Palace, Zhang Yang's personal eunuch dared not be disrespectful to them and led them directly into the room.

Zhang Yang saw that the three women were elegant and noble, though their expressions were somewhat sorrowful, which added to their delicate charm. Zhang Yang secretly used the search device on his wrist to search and found that Consort Zhu was carrying a metal object. He immediately ordered Consort Zhu, "Take her down."

Two personal eunuchs grabbed Consort Zhu's arms.

Consort Zhu had been hiding a pair of scissors, intending to assassinate Zhang Yang. Seeing that Zhang Yang had exposed her, she was greatly surprised, but knew that her life was in danger. She immediately cursed, "Traitor! Although you have escaped this time, there are many loyal and virtuous people in the world. When the loyalist army arrives, you will surely die a terrible death."

Zhang Yang was quite fond of this beautiful and loyal woman, and from her age, he deduced that she was indeed Consort Zhu recorded in the historical records. Hearing this, he laughed and said, "Then we can wait and see. Search her clothes, remove the weapon, and throw her into the Cold Palace. Have her carefully guarded. Then issue my order to send all the princes to the Jade Purity Palace to follow Zhao

Ji in his cultivation." The personal eunuch nervously reached into Consort Wei's bosom, touching something cold. He shuddered, barely managing to pull it out. Seeing it was a pair of scissors, his face changed drastically. He knelt down and said, "I have failed in my duty, allowing Consort Zhu to bring a sharp weapon to the audience. Please, Your Majesty, spare my life."

Zhang Yang, knowing their awkward situation, laughed and said, "This is none of your business. Go."

Hearing this, the eunuch was deeply moved and kowtowed three more times before pulling Consort Zhu away.

After this incident, Empress Zheng and Consort Wei were utterly terrified, their faces pale with fear.

Zhang Yang, however, remained undeterred. Seeing the two women's expressions, he smiled and said, "Introduce yourselves."

Seeing that Zhang Yang wasn't angry with them, the two women relaxed and sweetly announced their titles and maiden names.

Zhang Yang noticed that Empress Zheng was nearly forty, but well-maintained, a woman in her prime, still possessing considerable charm. Consort Zhu, on the other hand, was thirty-four or thirty-five, seemingly having undergone some deliberate makeup. Although her eyes were still somewhat bloodshot, they were now full of allure, and her well-fitting silk robes accentuated her full and proud figure.

Zhang Yang beckoned the two women closer to the bed and then pulled them into his arms.

Empress Zheng visibly stiffened, while Consort Wei let out a soft moan and collapsed into Zhang Yang's embrace.

Zhang Yang immediately felt the fullness and elasticity of Consort Wei's breasts. He kissed Empress Zheng's fragrant lips with his large mouth, while his right hand climbed up Consort Wei's proud breasts.

Empress Zheng, startled by Zhang Yang's kiss, instinctively struggled, but Zhang Yang's left arm pulled her tightly, and she realized her situation, having no choice but to submit to his pleasure.

Zhang Yang pried open Empress Zheng's teeth, sucking on her sweet saliva, while his right hand wantonly played with Consort Wei's soft breasts. Just as he was enjoying himself, he felt a tightness in his lower body, as Consort Wei had already grasped Zhang Yang's manhood.

Consort Wei was in her prime, but Emperor Huizong was infatuated with Li Shishi and spent most of his time outside the palace. Occasionally, he would stay in the palace, but there were so many concubines that it was difficult for the unfavored Consort Wei to get a turn. She had been feeling empty for a long time, and feeling the strength of Zhang Yang's manhood, she was delighted. She gave Zhang Yang a charming look and began to gently stroke him.

Soon after, Zhang Yang felt a throbbing pain in his lower body. He threw Empress Zheng onto the bed, tore off Consort Wei's clothes, and thrust in smoothly, then began to move rapidly.

Consort Wei felt Zhang Yang's intense impact, and soon abandoned her last shred of restraint, her lower body eagerly responding to Zhang Yang, her mouth uttering words that made Empress Zheng blush with shame.

Zhang Yang was quite satisfied with Consort Wei's compliance, his hands roaming over her mature and delicate body.

After several orgasms, Consort Wei reluctantly crawled onto the bed, panting heavily.

Seeing that she was exhausted, Zhang Yang also took Empress Zheng and began to vigorously pound her.

Only when the two women were exhausted did Zhang Yang fall asleep in their arms.

Chapter Ten: The Establishment of the Celestial Dynasty.

As the first rays of dawn appeared on the horizon, Zhang Yang opened his eyes. Looking at the two alluring mature women beside him, his lower body was aroused again. Suppressing the urge to mount his horse again, Zhang Yang dressed and left the house. He found several of his personal eunuchs already waiting in the courtyard. Ignoring them, he began practicing his martial arts in the open space of the courtyard. Although he had fought half the night before, it hadn't affected his skills.

The eunuchs could only see a dark shadow, leaping and bounding.

As Zhang Yang became more engrossed in his practice, he didn't hold back at all; each punch and kick produced a piercing scream.

The eunuchs had never seen such martial arts before, and almost thought it was a god descending to

earth, prostrating themselves in worship. After a long while, Zhang Yang stopped, seeing the eunuchs still kowtowing and muttering something incoherently, he knew it was his abnormal skills that had caused this. He had no choice but to help them up, offering no explanation to maintain their awe.

Zhang Yang entered the room and saw most of Wei Shi's breast exposed outside the blanket. His heart stirred, and he picked her up and headed towards the bathroom.

Lady Wei, however, lacked Zhang Yang's stamina and was still fast asleep. When Zhang Yang picked her up, she only let out a groan before drifting back to sleep.

Entering the bathroom, Zhang Yang gently placed Lady Wei in the water.

Only when most of her body was submerged did Lady Wei open her eyes. Seeing Zhang Yang, and recalling their passionate encounter the previous night, her eyes sparkled with desire.

Zhang Yang removed his clothes, jumped into the water, and embraced Lady Wei, laughing, "How did you sleep last night?"

Lady Wei pressed her ample breasts against Zhang Yang's chest, smiling seductively, "Last night was the happiest night of my life."

Seeing her seemingly irrelevant answer, Zhang Yang chuckled. He caressed Lady Wei's full, rounded buttocks, only now experiencing the smooth, delicate texture of her skin.

Lady Wei had desperately tried to please Zhang Yang the previous night, and although she still felt a slight pain in her lower body, she recklessly rubbed her magnificent breasts against him, determined to please this strong and handsome new emperor.

Soon, Wei felt Zhang Yang's erection again. She glanced at him seductively, then slowly moved her lower body, swallowing his weapon.

Driven by the pleasure of being tightly bound, Zhang Yang thrust forcefully.

With each powerful thrust, Wei's wanton nature was revealed once more.

After a long while, Wei felt the pain in her lower body intensify, but Zhang Yang's penis remained as hard as iron. Wei then gently squatted down, her lips parting slightly to take Zhang Yang's weapon into her mouth.

Under Wei's skillful oral sex, Zhang Yang quickly ejaculated.

After swallowing Zhang Yang's semen, Wei slowly rose and nestled in his arms.

Zhang Yang was also very satisfied with her performance. Stroking Wei's smooth skin, he smiled and said, "You can stay at Yanfu Palace. Later, you can choose a pavilion in the west and enjoy the treatment of a Noble Consort. However, I can't give you the title anymore."

Wei had long been conquered by Zhang Yang. Hearing that Zhang Yang let her stay at Yanfu Palace, she was overjoyed and didn't care about the title at all. She curtsied gracefully and said, "Thank you for your favor, Your Majesty."

Zhang Yang smiled and said, "I have other matters to attend to. You can rest in this palace for now."

Wei was a palace maid and had her own way of understanding people's hearts. Hearing this, she endured the soreness all over her body, helped Zhang Yang get dressed, and respectfully saw him out of the room before going to bed to rest. Seeing Empress Zheng, who was still full of spring fever, Wei no longer had the awe she used to have. Wei was confident that her beauty and figure were no less than Empress Zheng's, and she also had the advantage of age. Naturally, she was confident that she could win the new emperor's favor. She squeezed Empress Zheng aside and then lay down comfortably on the bed. As soon as she touched the bed, drowsiness overcame her, and Lady Wei had no energy to think of anything else, so she drifted off to sleep.

Zhang Yang left Yanfu Palace and went straight to Wende Hall, where he summoned the iron-faced clerk Pei Xuan and the fortune teller Jiang Jing. After

the two exchanged greetings, Zhang Yang said, "You two will serve as the first Ministers of Justice and Revenue of the new dynasty. Here is a list of corrupt officials. You two can go to Taiyi Palace to arrest them and execute them at noon at Caishikou in the outer city. Afterwards, Pei Xuan can work with Dai Zong to gather intelligence and investigate all officials. Those who have committed murder or embezzled more than 100,000 strings of cash will be executed the day after tomorrow. Give me a list of the rest. Jiang Jing, also take stock of the treasury's money and grain and give me a list the day after tomorrow."

Pei Xuan took the list, which included Cai Jing, Wang Fu, Liang Shicheng, Zhu Mian, Li Yan, and Cai You—six heinous but once powerful and treacherous officials.

The two accepted the decree and went to make their arrangements.

Zhang Yang went to reorganize the newly surrendered imperial guards.

Pei Xuan knew this was an opportunity to enhance his prestige, so he immediately decided to personally oversee the execution. Upon leaving the palace, he ordered the execution ground at Caishikou to be cleaned and posted notices throughout the inner and outer cities.

The wealthy and powerful within the inner city, upon hearing that the six men were to be executed, were both delighted and deeply worried about their own fate. However, with the city gates still closed, they had no way to escape and could only wait.

The common people outside the city, hearing that the six powerful traitors were to be executed, cheered and rushed to Caishikou early to secure advantageous positions. By noon, Caishikou was teeming with people, shoulder to shoulder.

Pei Xuan had to deploy an additional thousand soldiers to maintain order.

As soon as the six prison carts left the inner city, the waiting populace began pelting the six men with vegetable leaves and stones. They hadn't gone far when all six were bleeding from head wounds, and the soldiers guarding the carts were caught in the crossfire, constantly struck by stray bullets. Seeing this, the escorting officers had no choice but to speed up and rush towards the execution ground. Fortunately, the soldiers on both sides blocked the populace, and the road was not obstructed. Even so, by the time they arrived at the execution ground, the six were barely alive.

Pei Xuan personally read out the charges against the six men before executing them.

The next day, after a simple yet solemn ceremony, Zhang Yang announced the formal establishment of the Celestial Dynasty, with the reign title of Huaxia. He remotely bestowed the title of Empress upon Wen Lian and granted a three-year tax exemption nationwide. Naturally, he also bestowed titles upon his officials, establishing seven ministries in the court: Minister of War Wu Yong, Minister of Personnel Zong Ze, Minister of Justice Pei Xuan, Minister of Revenue Jiang Jing, Minister of Rites Zhao Mingcheng, Minister of Works Zhang Shuye, and Minister of Intelligence Dai Zong. The rank of General Wu remained unchanged, but five new noble titles—Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, and Baron—were established, to be bestowed by the emperor based on merit.

The day after the new dynasty was established, all six ministers of the seven ministries—except Zhang Shuye, who had gone to the northwest to persuade Zhong Shidao—came to the Wende Hall to discuss matters with Zhang Yang.

After the six paid their respects, Pei Xuan presented Zhang Yang with the verified list of corrupt officials.

Seeing that everyone on the list was destined for death, Zhang Yang also wrote a large character for "execution" with his own brush.

Zhang Yang then asked, "How much grain and money is in the national treasury?"

Jiang Jing replied, "Due to insufficient manpower in the Ministry of Revenue and the short notice, we only had time to make an approximate count. The granaries hold no less than a million shi of grain, but the national treasury only holds about two million taels of silver and over two million strings of cash."

Zhang Yang remembered that when Cai Jing first became Grand Tutor, he had plundered over fifty million strings of cash from the national treasury, allowing Emperor Huizong to enjoy himself without worry; he never imagined the treasury would be so impoverished now. Zhang Yang frowned and said, "This money isn't even enough to pay the army's salaries for a year. Officials' salaries, army bonuses, and river management all require money. I've already declared a three-year tax exemption; I can't possibly levy any more taxes on the people. What sources of income do you have?"

Jiang Jing replied, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. I've obtained astonishing sums from corrupt officials. Just Cai Jing, Wang Fu, Liang Shicheng, Zhu Mian, Li Yan, and Cai You alone possess over thirty million strings of cash in land and hidden silver. The later officials' assets are over five million strings. Furthermore, the Zhao clan has vast fortunes, all of which can be confiscated into the national treasury. This should be enough to sustain us for a year and a half. With income from various mines, we should be able to barely sustain us for three years."

Although Zhang Yang knew Cai Jing was a notorious corrupt official, and Wang Fu had taken nine-tenths of the tribute from Jiangnan, he hadn't expected their families to be so wealthy. While they didn't have the same wealth as Heshen, whose fortune rivaled the nation's annual revenue, they were still historically notorious corrupt officials.

Pei Xuan said, "There are many families in the inner city with assets exceeding 100,000 strings of cash, and some even have millions." Naturally, they often abuse their power. If His Majesty allows me to conduct a thorough investigation of each household, tens of millions of strings of cash will be within easy reach.

Zhang Yang said, "The new dynasty is newly established, and people's hearts are still somewhat unstable. We cannot afford to cause further damage. You can have the people of the outer city expose some of the wealthy families who harm the people. I will give you five days. Punish as many people as you can. After five days, the city ban will be lifted, and past minor offenses will be pardoned."

Wu Yong added, "If His Majesty does not want to harm the people of the country, he can start from abroad. Two years later, His Majesty will surely unify the country. At that time, he can expand the territory, and the money and manpower needed by the country can be obtained from other countries."

Zhang Yang also remembered that the development of capitalism was built on the suffering of many nations, and nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this.

Chapter Eleven: Multiple Fronts

. Seeing Zhang Yang's swift and decisive actions, and unable to leave the city, the officials of Emperor Huizong had no choice but to report to the palace on time. After some kind words of reassurance, Zhang Yang reorganized them into three thousand-man squads and equipped them with the finest armor and warhorses.

After the Song Dynasty officials were imprisoned, they were interrogated in isolation. During the interrogations, they were horrified to discover that some of their long-forgotten crimes had been recorded. First, six former high-ranking officials disappeared without a trace, followed by dozens more.

The jailers discussed daily the execution of high-ranking officials at the execution ground and the establishment of the new dynasty.

Hearing snippets of the executions from the jailers made the remaining officials even more restless. They could only find some peace after sunset, but as dawn approached, they would wake up on time, nervously watching the gate, fearing someone would drag them away.

Within a few days, the remaining officials seemed to have aged several years, all looking haggard.

On this day, as they nervously watched the prison gate, several eunuchs came to invite them to the palace.

Seeing that it was a eunuch who had summoned them, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and quickly made their way to the palace.

Upon entering the Wende Hall and seeing Zhang Yang seated on the dragon throne, they knelt down to beg for forgiveness without needing to be reprimanded.

Seeing that their arrogance had vanished, Zhang Yang said, "Everyone, rise. Who is without fault? Fortunately, your crimes are minor, and I can give you a chance to repent. The new dynasty is newly established, and you are all familiar with its affairs. Are you willing to contribute to the new dynasty?"

Having escaped with their lives and now able to serve as officials again, none of them were unwilling.

Zhang Yang then instructed Zong Ze to assess everyone's abilities and select the most capable for office.

Zhang Yang also led Lu Junyi and 40,000 newly reorganized troops towards Beijing.

Meanwhile, after capturing Tokyo, Zhang Yang forced Emperor Huizong to issue imperial edicts to Xijing and Huaizhou to support the emperor. The troops in both locations, upon receiving the edicts, dared not hesitate and led their troops to Tokyo.

Guan Sheng and Huyan Zhuo's forces were defeated and subdued outside the city with minimal casualties. After capturing Xijing, Huyan Zhuo ordered the capture of nearby counties and townships.

Wang Qing, having learned that Xijing had been captured by the Celestial Empire and that a large force was stationed there, seemed unwilling to wage war against the Celestial Empire. He left 30,000 troops to garrison Ruzhou, while the majority of his army marched south to attack other poorly defended prefectures under the jurisdiction of Dongjing.

Huyan Zhuo did not pursue, but instead strengthened his troops to guard against Zhong Shidao and the Western Xia in the northwest.

After Guan Sheng led his troops to capture Huaizhou, he led his army directly towards the second of the Eight Paths of Taihang, the Taihang Path.

The border of Hedong, Hebei, and Henan provinces is the Taihang Mountains, a vast and interconnected mountain range stretching for thousands of miles. The Eight Paths of Taihang are the vital passage connecting the three provinces and an important military pass.

The second path is the Taihang Path. It is three steps wide and forty li long. Heading north along the path to the Taihang Mountains, south of Jincheng in Shanxi Province, lies a pass called "Taihang Pass," also known as Tianjing Pass or Xiongding Pass. Its imposing terrain has long been considered a natural fortress.

After Guan Sheng occupied Huaizhou, he left Jing Zhong to defend it and led the majority of his troops towards the Taihang Pass. Upon reaching a strategically important location, he

sent messengers to deliver an imperial edict to the Taihang Pass. Liu Zhen, the commander of the pass's garrison, learned that Niu Wenzhong, a subordinate of Tian Hu, had captured Zezhou. Fearing an attack on the Taihang Pass, he heavily fortified the two strategic passes, Tianjing Pass and Xingyao Post Station, ordering his men to be on high alert.

That evening, just as Liu Zhen was about to return home, he heard that an imperial envoy from the capital had arrived outside the pass. Liu Zhen dared not delay and quickly led his men out to greet him. From afar, he saw a soldier pacing anxiously below the pass. Behind him, a warhorse was foaming at the mouth, clearly having traveled a great distance.

Seeing Liu Zhen lead his men in, the soldier took out an imperial edict from his robes and rushed forward, saying, "The Liangshan bandits have rebelled! The capital is in grave danger! Commander Liu

, please lead your troops to defend the emperor!" Liu Zhen was startled upon hearing this. He accepted the edict with both hands, noticing the clear imperial seal on it, and quickly ordered his deputy to gather troops from within the pass. He then asked the soldier, "I heard recently that Zhang Yang of Liangshan had accepted the imperial pardon. How did he rebel again?"

The soldier replied, "I don't know either. After Zhang Yang led his troops into the city for the emperor's inspection, he suddenly attacked the inner and outer city gates. Most of the bandits attacked from the outside, and the troops inside the city didn't hold out for long before both the inner and outer cities fell. Only the imperial city, protected by the guards, managed to repel the bandits with difficulty. But the bandits were powerful, and there weren't many troops inside the city, so His Majesty issued an edict to all regions to defend the emperor."

Liu Zhen asked suspiciously, "Since the bandits have already captured the inner and outer cities, how did you get out of the city?"

The soldier said, "After the bandits captured the inner and outer cities, they plundered the nobles of the inner city, but did little to harass the common people of the outer city. I came out of the imperial city through a tunnel and blended in with the surrendered soldiers to get out of the inner city; they didn't blockade the outer city."

Liu Zhen also used the Liangshan bandits' banner of "acting on behalf of Heaven" to rob the rich and help the poor. Hearing this, he believed it somewhat, and considering that the imperial edict was genuine, his doubts disappeared.

Before long, the troops inside the pass had assembled.

Liu Zhen then led his troops out of the pass towards the capital. They hadn't gone far when night fell. Although the soldiers complained bitterly, they had no choice but to march through the night under Liu Zhen's urging.

As they marched, they heard a burst of cannon fire from both sides. Just as Liu Zhen sensed something was wrong, the soldier beside him who was delivering the imperial edict suddenly attacked, holding him at knifepoint. Liu Zhen's personal guards saw this and rushed forward to surround the two men, but fearing for Liu Zhen's life, they dared not make a move.

Liu Zhen asked in shock, "Aren't you an envoy from the capital?"

The soldier laughed, "I am Hao Siwen, the Jingmu Han of the Celestial Dynasty. The palace has already been breached, and Zhao Ji has abdicated in favor of my emperor. If you know what's good for you, you can surrender to my dynasty and you will not lose your wealth and honor. Otherwise, your life or death is only a matter of time."

As the two were talking, ambushes surrounded Liu Zhen's horse in the center. Liu Zhen's horse did not have orders from its commander and dared not break through the encirclement.

Guan Sheng also led his troops to the front. Hao Siwen then took Liu Zhen hostage and walked towards the front of the formation. Liu Zhen's personal guards did not have orders from Liu Zhen and dared not make a move. They could only watch helplessly as their commander was taken away.

Seeing that the situation was settled, Guan Sheng ordered Hao Siwen to release Liu Zhen, and said, "I have heard that you, General, are skilled in leading troops, and I was afraid that we would not be able to win, so I used this cunning trick to capture you. Please forgive me for any offense I may have caused."

Liu Zhen had no intention of fighting to the death, and seeing Guan Sheng's earnest words, he dismounted and bowed, saying, "I am a captured general, yet I am treated with such great courtesy."

Guan Sheng helped Liu Zhen up and said, "Although you have been defeated, your loyalty and courage are evident. Our Emperor is recruiting talented people.

If you are willing to submit to the Celestial Dynasty, I will certainly recommend you for an important position." Liu Zhen kowtowed and thanked him, saying, "Since you have spared my life, I am willing to serve as your humble soldier. Taihang Pass is under my jurisdiction, and I am willing to open this pass for you to show my sincerity in submitting."

Guan Sheng was overjoyed upon hearing this, and immediately ordered Xuan Zan to take five thousand troops with Liu Zhen to take Taihang Pass, while he himself led the main force to follow behind.

With Liu Zhen's cooperation, Guan Sheng easily captured the strategic passes of Tianjing Pass and Xingyao Post Station, advancing directly towards Zezhou.

Chapter Twelve: A Victorious Start

After Guan Sheng led his troops to capture Taihang Pass, he rested briefly, leaving Dang Shiying's troops to garrison the passes, while Guan Sheng led Han Cunbao, Dang Shixiong, and Liu Zhen's troops to press on to Zezhou and set up camp. The

Zezhou garrison commander, Niu Wenzhong, was a former outlaw who had used all the gold and silver he had robbed to fund Tian Hu's rebellion and seize control of Song Dynasty prefectures and counties, thus earning him the official title of Privy Councilor. He was skilled in using a three-pointed double-edged sword and possessed exceptional martial arts skills. Upon discovering that Guan Sheng's troops had approached the city, he summoned his four fierce generals, Fang Qiong, An Shirong, Chu Heng, and Yu Yulin, to discuss the matter.

Niu Wenzhong said, "I recently heard that Zhang Yang of Liangshan tricked the capital of Tokyo and established a new dynasty, aiming to seize the world. Now he has sent Guan Sheng, the Great Saber, to attack. I've heard he's a descendant of the Martial Saint of the Three Kingdoms, and his skills are extraordinary. Do you all have any good opportunity to repel them?"

Fang Qiong laughed, "General, you worry too much. They are just a band of outlaws who tricked Tokyo. Instead of enjoying their fortune there, they invade our country. They truly don't know the will of Heaven. Tomorrow, I will surely kill several of their generals to show the might of our Jin Kingdom."

An Shirong also chimed in, "The Song Dynasty's soldiers are incompetent, which shows the might of Liangshan. Our Jin Kingdom's soldiers are brave and valiant; how can they compare? General, rest assured, I am willing to lead troops to help General Fang defeat the enemy tomorrow."

Niu Wenzhong also nodded, "It's good that you have such confidence. Tomorrow, the two of you can lead 10,000 troops out of the city to meet the enemy. I will follow with troops to provide support. If we are not victorious, we will discuss other plans."

The five agreed and then returned to their camps to prepare.

Early the next morning, Fang Qiong and An Shirong led eight generals—Yang Duan, Guo Xin, Su Ji, Zhang Xiang, Fang Shun, Shen An, Lu Yuan, and Wang Ji—out of the south gate and arrayed their troops in front of Guan Sheng's camp.

Guan Sheng, hearing of the Jin army's attack, also led his troops out of his camp and arrayed their forces.

The two armies faced each other. Fang Qiong rode out, shouting, "You bandits from the waters, how dare you invade the borders of a great nation? Are you courting death?"

Xuan Zan, upon hearing this, was enraged. Before Guan Sheng could speak, he spurred his horse to attack Fang Qiong.

Fang Qiong, confident in his martial prowess, disregarded Xuan Zan and mocked, "Are you some kind of mountain spirit or water monster? How could you be so ugly?"

Xuan Zan, who hated being called ugly, was even more furious. With a roar, he brandished his sword and slashed at Fang Qiong's waist.

Fang Qiong parried with his spear, and a loud crash resounded as their weapons clashed. Fang Qiong felt a sharp pain in his wrist, and his weapon nearly slipped from his grasp. Fang Qiong then realized Xuan Zan's astonishing strength and quickly abandoned his underestimation, bracing himself to fight Xuan Zan head-on. However, he had been careless at the beginning, his wrists still a little sore and numb, and he quickly fell into a disadvantageous position. Several times, he had to resort to mutually destructive moves to force Xuan Zan to stop.

In the Jin army formation, Zhang Xiang, seeing Fang Qiong at a disadvantage, picked up his bow, nocked an arrow, and quietly moved to the front of the formation. When the two horses passed each other and Xuan Zan charged towards the Jin army's front, Zhang Xiang shot at Xuan Zan's face.

Xuan Zan, however, was a skilled archer, having once defeated a fierce general of the Western Xia in a rapid-fire archery contest. Hearing the bowstring twang, he remained calm, hanging his steel sword on his saddle, dodging the arrow with a sidestep, catching it with his right hand, and simultaneously taking the powerful bow from his saddle with his left. He immediately drew the bow with his left hand, took the arrow with his right, nocked it, aimed at Zhang Xiang, and with a single shot, struck Zhang Xiang squarely in the throat, sending him tumbling from his horse.

Xuan Zan casually drew another arrow, turned, and fired.

Fang Qiong heard the bowstring twang behind him and tried to dodge, but was already struck in the back and fell from his horse.

Xuan Zan didn't turn back; he turned and fired two more arrows in quick succession. Everyone heard two sharp bowstring twangs, and Yang Duan and Guo Xin were shot off their horses.

Fang Qiong's only remaining lieutenant, Su Ji, was terrified and rolled off his horse.

Seeing this, Xuan Zan laughed, "How dare you, you coward, fire a sneak arrow! Now you know the power of this general!"

Liu Zhen, who had just surrendered to Guan Sheng and was eager to make a name for himself, saw Xuan Zan displaying his prowess and rushed forward, saying, "The enemy's morale has collapsed. This humble general is willing to lead the troops to defeat them."

Guan Sheng nodded and said, "General, go ahead. I will cover for you."

Liu Zhen accepted the order and immediately led his troops to attack.

An Shirong, clearly more brave than strategic, actually spurred his horse and led his troops to fight.

However, Fang Qiong's troops had already lost heart, and after a short period of fighting, Fang Qiong's forces

began to retreat, while An Shirong was still locked in battle with Liu Zhen. After a long fighting, An Shirong saw that Liu Zhen's forces had begun to encircle them, so he forced Liu Zhen to break free and led his army to retreat into the city.

Liu Zhen also led his army in hot pursuit, and after traveling a short distance, they heard shouts from both sides. It was Niu Wenzhong, fearing that Fang Qiong might be lost, and Yu Yulin each led 10,000 troops, splitting into two groups to attack.

Guan Sheng had also scouted out the city and found that two more groups of troops had emerged, ordering Han Cunbao and Dang Shixiong to lead troops to block the two reinforcements. Guan Sheng himself led his troops to pursue the remnants of Fang Qiong's forces.

Fang Qiong's deputy general, Su Ji, saw the reinforcements arrive and wanted to turn back to fight again, but seeing that the imperial troops had already divided their forces to block the reinforcements and that the central army was also pursuing them, he turned and fled again.

Guan Sheng ignored the stragglers and led a thousand cavalrymen to chase Su Ji into the city.

Seeing Su Ji fleeing from the city wall, Chu Heng had no choice but to open the city gates. As soon as Su Ji entered, he ordered the gates closed and the archers on the wall to fire.

The soldiers behind Su Ji, seeing the gatekeepers about to close, surged forward, and in no time could the gates be shut.

Guan Sheng, riding a fine horse, saw Su Ji enter the city, spurred his horse, and the horse's speed increased dramatically. He reached the city gate, wielding his broadsword, and the soldiers at the front perished.

The soldiers trapped in the gate, seeing their pursuers closing in, desperately pushed their way into the city. But even the heavens might fail if people fought so hard. The soldiers closing the gate were no match for the desperate crowd; the clever ones slipped inside. The foolish were pushed behind the gate and became mincemeat, while those rushing in were trampled underfoot. Seeing this

, Guan Sheng spurred his horse into the city, his broadsword flashing, and several soldiers lagging behind fell.

The soldiers at the gate, seeing Guan Sheng's ferocity, dared not approach, and led by the remnants of Fang Qiong's troops, fled into the city. In the blink of an eye, Guan Sheng's personal guards also rushed into the city gate, joining him in defending it. Outside, Xuan Zan, seeing his commander seize the gate, also commanded his soldiers to charge into the city

despite the arrows. Seeing this, Chu Heng quickly led his men down to seize the gate. Seeing the enemy general descend from the tunnel, Guan Sheng spurred his horse and leaped onto it, his broadsword flashing towards Chu Heng's neck. Chu Heng, caught off guard, didn't expect Guan Sheng to dare jump into the tunnel and hastily raised his spear to parry. However, in his haste and lack of strength, the spear was knocked away, and Guan Sheng's blade, undiminished, sliced Chu Heng in two. Seeing their commander fall in a single blow, the soldiers behind him panicked and fled back towards the city walls. Seeing Xuan Zan had already led his troops into the city, Guan Sheng also led his men to the city walls, quickly scattering the Jin army. Chu Heng's deputy, Shi Xun, hearing of the fall of the south gate, hurriedly led reserve troops to reinforce it. He was spotted by Xuan Zan at the street corner, and with a twang of a bowstring, Shi Xun fell from his horse. Seeing this, his soldiers dared not risk their lives any longer and fled in all directions. By the time Guan Sheng led his troops to attack other gates, the Jin army had already fled the city. Han Cunbao fought Yu Yulin for a short time before Han Cunbao roared and stabbed Yu Yulin off his horse. Han Cunbao's well-trained elite troops were no match for Yu Yulin's ragtag army, and with their commander dead, they soon began to rout. Han Cunbao ordered his deputy to pursue the Jin army, while he led several thousand men to attack Niu Wenzhong's forces from both sides. Niu Wenzhong had been fighting Dang Shixiong for a long time, but seeing his troops in danger of being surrounded, he dared not fight any longer, forcing Dang Shixiong away and retreating into the city. Approaching the city, he saw that the flags on the city walls had changed, and Niu Wenzhong dared not try to seize the city again, leading his remaining troops to retreat to Gaoping County in the northwest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The image link below is a map of Hedong and Hebei. Chapter Thirteen: The First Appearance of Artillery Meanwhile , the Gaoping garrison commanders Zhang Li and Zhao Neng, hearing that Niu Wenzhong was leading his troops in retreat, hurriedly went out of the city to greet him. The three entered the county government office within the city. Niu Wenzhong sighed, "I didn't expect the Liangshan army to be so valiant. I was careless." Zhang Li, who also knew of the Liangshan invasion, said, "General, your martial arts are superb. You have never been defeated since you raised your army. I wonder who the leader of the Liangshan army is? How could he defeat you?" Niu Wenzhong replied, "It is Guan Sheng, the Great Saber. He is said to be a descendant of the Martial Saint of the Three Kingdoms. I originally intended to defend the city, but Fang Qiong insisted on going into battle, which led to my utter defeat." Zhang Li exclaimed in surprise, "So it is this person! No wonder he is so powerful. This man is also from Hedong. Before the campaign against Liangshan, he served as the patrol inspector of Pudong." "The bandits within a hundred miles of the mountain bandits flee at the mere mention of his name. His martial arts are no less than his grandfather's; he is truly a formidable foe. We must guard against him taking advantage of the situation to attack Gaoping." Zhao Neng said, "They have come from afar to attack, and their troops are exhausted. I doubt they will attack at night. However, Gaoping only has ten thousand soldiers. We need to request reinforcements from His Majesty to repel the Liangshan army." Niu Wenzhong, upon hearing this, also said, "This is easy. I will immediately submit a petition for reinforcements. The two generals should first gather the defeated troops from Zezhou. In a few days, His Majesty will surely send reinforcements." Zhang Li and the other two, upon hearing this, also went to gather the remaining troops. After the Heavenly Army captured Zezhou, the generals went to the government office to report the results of the battle. Guan Sheng had the merits of each general recorded and submitted to the capital, Tokyo. Ling Zhen, the Thunderclap, had been sent by Gao Qiu to attack Liangshan last time, but unfortunately, before he could even fire a single cannon, Gao Qiu's army suffered a great defeat. Ling Zhen was also taken prisoner. After witnessing the power of the gunpowder Zhang Yang had developed, he held Zhang Yang in the highest esteem. However, Zhang Yang had originally planned to use gunpowder to blow up the city of Bianjing (Kaifeng), which was why he hadn't used gunpowder until now. After Zhang Yang captured Bianjing, he assigned artillerymen to all his troops, and Ling Zhen was assigned to Guan Sheng's unit. (Song Dynasty gunpowder had a low saltpeter content and contained many other components, so it usually only burned quickly and was mostly used in battle for arson, smoke production, or poisoning.) However, in this battle, he still hadn't had a chance to use it. Seeing that everyone had made contributions, he said, "The enemy has suffered a great defeat and must be terrified. If we use artillery to launch a night attack on Gaoping, the enemy will be frightened and will surely abandon the city." Guan Sheng replied, "General Ling is right. His Majesty's improved gunpowder is indeed incredibly powerful. If the Jin army is suddenly attacked, they will surely..." However, in a panic, sending some surrendered soldiers into the city to spread rumors would surely demoralize the Jin army, but it would be necessary to send another force to launch a feigned attack. Dang Shixiong, who had earned the least merit today, said upon hearing this, "This humble general is willing to go with General Ling to take Gaoping City." Guan Sheng nodded and said, "With you going, I am at ease. If the Jin army abandons the city, you only need to seize the city; do not pursue them." Dang Shixiong also knew that there were still many defenders in Gaoping, and that Niu Wenzhong, whom he had fought today, was no less skilled than himself, so he did not intend to wipe out the Jin army. He immediately led his troops to Gaoping with Ling Zhen. Zhang Li, however, was completely unprepared for Guan Sheng to send troops to attack. It was not until nightfall that he stopped gathering his remaining troops, closed the city gates, and only sent two commanders (one thousand men) to guard the city. Summer nights are not always quiet. Because Gaoping is backed by the Dan River, the croaking of frogs always accompanied the soldiers guarding the city. Dang Shixiong and Ling Zhen led their troops to the city walls. It was already the first watch of the night. Ling Zhen and the artillerymen set up catapults under the moonlight, and a demolition expert was sent to spy on the city gate. With a deafening roar, the iron-clad city gate shattered into pieces. Before the soldiers on the city walls could react, the artillerymen began their attack, dozens of iron cannons flying towards the walls. Amidst the deafening explosions, flying shrapnel rained down on the soldiers on the walls . Only a few unlucky ones were killed, but most were cut by shrapnel. The unexpected blows and intense pain terrified them, and they cried out in fear. The artillerymen fired two more rounds before Dang Shixiong led his troops to attack the city. That night, Niu Wenzhong was not at the military camp but resting at the county government office. Awakened by the series of explosions at the city gate, he hurriedly led his personal guards to the military camp. Upon arriving at the camp gate, Niu Wenzhong found it in chaos, with soldiers running frantically inside. Many had already gathered at the gate and were clashing with the guards. As Niu Wenzhong approached, he heard the soldiers shouting things like "Heavenly troops are attacking!" and "The Thunder God is punishing us!" Having seen cannons before, Niu Wenzhong, though finding the sound unusual, assumed it was merely more powerful and less lethal. He immediately ordered the gates opened, intending to execute those spreading rumors. However, the soldiers, already terrified by the cannon fire and further incited by Guan Sheng's surrendered troops, had no will to fight. As soon as the gates opened, they surged out, some of the guards also joining the rush. Niu Wenzhong spurred his horse forward, cutting down two fleeing soldiers at the front, and shouted, "Anyone who takes another step forward will be killed without mercy!" No sooner had he spoken than someone in the crowd shouted, "The heavenly army is coming soon! Don't wait to die! Anyone who dares to block our way, we'll kill them!" At that moment, shouts of battle also came from the city gate. The surrendered soldiers mixed in with the crowd surged forward, and the soldiers who had broken camp rushed forward. Seeing the murderous intent in the soldiers' eyes, Niu Wenzhong dared not stop them any longer and turned his horse to flee towards the north gate. Zhang Li and Zhao Neng had already fled, and without their generals in command, no one in the city resisted. Some soldiers who were slower to escape, seeing that the heavenly army had entered the city, simply surrendered on the spot. Niu Wenzhong fled the city, looking at the soldiers surging out behind him, and sighed, "Losing two cities in one day, how dare I face the King again?"

The personal guard said, "General, you have a very good relationship with the three kings of Jinzhou. Why not go there first and ask them to send troops? If you can defeat the Heavenly Army and recover the city, you can naturally make amends. Even if you fail, with the three kings interceding, it shouldn't be a big deal."

Niu Wenzhong sighed and then rode off to Jinzhou.

Dang Shixiong led his troops into the city, but seeing that most of the Jin army had already fled, he did not pursue them, but simply ordered his men to occupy the military camps and city gates.

The next day, Guan Sheng ordered Dang Shixiong to issue proclamations to reassure the people and reward the soldiers. Guan Sheng then sent troops west to attack Yangcheng and Qinshui counties in Zezhou.

The people and soldiers of both places had been repeatedly harmed by Tian Hu and had no choice but to surrender due to the bandit's power. As soon as the army arrived at the city, the people and soldiers captured Kou Fu, the garrison commander of Yangcheng, and Chen Kai, the garrison commander of Qinshui, and took them out of the city. The elders of the two counties led the people, bringing sheep and wine, to surrender the city. Guan Sheng was overjoyed and rewarded the soldiers and civilians of both places handsomely, issuing proclamations to appease them. He also executed Kou Fu and Chen Kai.

Guan Sheng left men to defend the two county towns and then led his army towards Gaoping.

Tian Hu, upon learning of the loss of Zezhou and Gaoping, hurriedly ordered Huguan and Jinzhou to defend their cities tightly, and sent Commander Sun An with 50,000 troops to recapture Zezhou.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It seems everyone is somewhat averse to the protagonist going to the palace to see women, so I'll avoid that in the future. However, I probably shouldn't let foreign women go.

Chapter Fourteen Huguan (Part 1)

On this day, just as Guan Sheng was about to send men to attack Lingchuan, the last county in Zezhou, he heard that an old friend was requesting an audience outside the camp.

Guan Sheng had extensive connections in Hedong, and upon hearing this, he quickly ordered someone to invite him in.

When the visitor appeared at the door, it was another sworn brother, Tang Bin.

Guan Sheng hurriedly rose to greet Tang Bin at the door, grasping his hands and saying, "It's been a long time! What brings you here, my worthy brother?"

Tang Bin replied, "After you left, brother, I was framed by a powerful figure. In a fit of rage, I killed that man. Seeing the authorities were pressing for my capture, I originally intended to go to Liangshan to join you. However, when I passed Baodu Mountain, I fought with the leaders of that stronghold, Wen Zhongrong and Cui Kuo. They respected my martial arts and offered me the position of leader. I couldn't refuse their hospitality, so I stayed at the stronghold. Last year, the fields..." "Tiger has invaded and seized Huguan. My brother, being outnumbered, had no choice but to temporarily submit to him. He only camped at Baodu Mountain, guarding Huguan, and dared not harm the people. The other day, I heard that you, brother, were leading troops to attack and quell the rebellion, so I rushed here to offer my plan to capture Huguan."

Guan Sheng, upon hearing this, happily said, "With your help, brother, what is there to fear in defeating Tian Hu? It's not that I'm boasting, but the current emperor is indeed a man of great talent and ambition. Your arrival is a perfect opportunity to work with me; you'll surely become a prime minister and a marquis in the future."

Tang Bin also said, " I have also heard that the current emperor is wise and mighty, and even more rare is his unparalleled benevolence and righteousness. I will first offer Huguan as a gift of advancement. I have already discussed with the two leaders of Baodu Mountain that as long as you, brother, attack Huguan, I will pretend to reinforce Huguan and take it by surprise.”

Guan Sheng said, “Then I will trouble you, my worthy brother. However, Lingchuan is not yet pacified. It would be better to take Lingchuan first and then go for Huguan.”

Tang Bin said, “The Lingchuan garrison commander Dong Cheng and his subordinate generals Shen Ji and Geng Gong are all quite skilled, and their subordinates…” "We have another 5,000 troops. If they hold the city, it will be difficult to capture it in a short time. Once we capture Huguan, the isolated Lingchuan army will be hard to defend. We can then send someone to persuade them to surrender, and it should be possible to succeed. Moreover, Tian Hu has already sent Sun An with 50,000 troops to attack. If

we don't capture Huguan before he arrives, it will be difficult to make a move later." Guan Sheng nodded upon hearing this and said, "Brother, you are right. Let's take Huguan first."

Tang Bin discussed the details with everyone and then returned to Baodushan to prepare.

The next day, Guan Sheng led his army to Huguan.

Huguan County was named after Baigushan (now Laodingshan) to the north of the ancient county seat and Shuanglongshan to the south. The two mountains are separated by a gap in the middle, and the shape of the mountains resembles a pot. The mouth of the pot is the pass, hence the name Huguan. Huguan is located at the top of the Taihang Mountains, with towering and continuous mountain ranges and a dangerous terrain, especially in the eastern Qiaoshang and Ewu areas. Steep mountains and rugged rocks, sheer cliffs thousands of feet high—this is the only way to enter the heart of Hedong, truly a strategically vital location where "one man can hold the pass against ten thousand."

After Tian Hu captured this place, he stationed ten thousand troops here to guard it, commanded by eight fierce generals. Who were these eight generals? They were:

Shan Shiqi, Lu Hui, Shi Ding,

Wu Chengyun Zong Wuzhongliang, Zhu Jing, and Wu Su

, with Shan Shiqi as the leader. Shan Shiqi was originally the son of a wealthy family in Qinzhou, possessing extraordinary strength and skilled in using spears and clubs. Fearing punishment for murder, he joined Tian Hu's forces, repeatedly defeating the Song army and rising to the position of military commander. He was adept at using a forty-pound iron cudgel and was highly skilled in martial arts. In the novel *The Marquis of Hulao Pass*, he fought Lin Chong for fifty or sixty rounds to a draw, truly a fierce general. After receiving Tian Hu's imperial decree, he also ordered his men to be on guard day and night to prevent a surprise attack by Guan Sheng.

That day, while leading his troops on patrol, a scout reported that the Song army had already set up camp ten miles south of the pass.

Guan Sheng was unfamiliar with the terrain and did not challenge anyone that day. He only led Xuan Zan and Hao Siwen to scout the area.

Shan Shiqi saw Guan Sheng's red face and long beard from the gate and guessed that he was the Guan Sheng with the big sword. He immediately led a hundred cavalrymen out of the gate to capture the three men.

Just as Guan Sheng and his companions were marveling at the strategic importance of Huguan Pass, a troop of men swept in like a whirlwind as the gate opened.

Guan Sheng, skilled and daring, remained calm and said to Xuan Zan, "I heard that you, my virtuous brother, once competed in a rapid-fire archery contest with a barbarian general in the capital, your arrows never missing their mark. I regretfully missed witnessing it. In the battle of Zezhou, it seems you didn't use your full strength. Today, let us both broaden our horizons."

Xuan Zan laughed, "Brother, your ancestral swordsmanship is unparalleled. How could I, a mere speck of light, dare to compete with the bright moon? Since you've spoken, I will make a fool of myself. However, it is still up to you to deal with the enemy general."

As he spoke, he drew his bow and arrows, picked up two arrows with his right hand, drew the bowstring to its full extent, and fired both arrows simultaneously. The bowstrings had barely snapped back when Xuan Zan had already drawn two more arrows.

Guan Sheng, standing nearby, heard the continuous twang of the bowstrings, and the cavalry charging from within the pass were constantly struck by arrows and fell from their horses.

Shan Shiqi saw an enemy general continuously drawing his bow, arrows flying towards him. He was about to deflect them with his staff when he realized the arrows all grazed past him, each one carrying a sharp whistle. Then, screams and the sounds of arrows hitting the ground echoed behind him. Hearing this, Shan Shiqi dared not turn back, but spurred his horse forward.

Within moments, Xuan Zan had already shot down more than ten men. Seeing Shan Shiqi close in, Guan Sheng said, "Shoot down a few more horses."

Xuan Zan nodded in understanding, and in a flash, fired several more arrows.

The few men who had made their way to the front, seeing Xuan Zan's arrows miss, had just begun to feel a surge of joy when their horses were either struck by arrows and fell, or reared up in pain. The leading cavalrymen, unable to react in time, were either thrown from their horses or forced to dismount. The cavalry behind, only worried about Xuan Zan's divine arrows, were all eager to charge forward and engage in battle. They hadn't expected this sudden turn of events, and several riders were instantly tripped and fell, while those behind hurriedly reining in their horses also collided in a heap.

Guan Sheng spurred his horse towards Shan Shiqi, and upon reaching him, he spurred his horse, increasing its speed by three-tenths, while simultaneously swinging his broadsword at Shan Shiqi's neck with lightning speed.

Shan Shiqi was startled by Guan Sheng's horse's sudden increase in speed, but fortunately, Guan Sheng's horse was swift and had anticipated this, quickly striking Guan Sheng's throat with its club, precisely targeting a point where the enemy would have to defend.

Guan Sheng, seeing the incredible speed of Shan Shiqi's club, secretly praised it, and with a slight pull of his wrist, his broadsword slashed at Shan Shiqi's iron club.

Although Shan Shiqi's horse was inferior to Guan Sheng's, he had the advantage of charging down from a higher position and wanted to test Guan Sheng's strength, so he increased the force of his attack, clashing head-on with Guan Sheng. The

moment their weapons clashed, a loud, dull thud resounded. Both men felt a jolt in their hands, realizing their strength was evenly matched, and stopped fighting. They

reined in their horses and engaged in battle again. Seeing that Shan Shiqi's troops were blocked, Lu Hui, fearing that Xuan Zan and Hao Siwen would attack Shan Shiqi from both sides, hurriedly led his troops down the pass to provide reinforcements.

Guan Sheng had also fought Shan Shiqi for over ten rounds, knowing he couldn't defeat him within a few dozen. Seeing another troop of soldiers rushing out from inside the pass, he dared not fight any longer. He forcefully pushed Shan Shiqi away and shouted, "Your skills are excellent! Tell me your name, and we'll fight again tomorrow!"

Shan Shiqi also reined in his horse and said, "I am Shan Shiqi, the commander of Huguan Pass. I don't rely on numbers to win. If you are not afraid of death, you can come again tomorrow."

Seeing the approaching troops from Guanzhong, Guan Sheng laughed and said, "It's a deal, I'm off."

Shan Shiqi, fearing Xuan Zan's divine arrows, didn't give chase.

Lu Hui led his troops closer and saw that Guan Sheng and his companions hadn't gone far. He wanted to pursue them again, but Shan Shiqi stopped him.

Shan Shiqi said, "Guan Sheng's martial arts are extraordinary; even if we catch him, we might not be able to stop him. If there's an ambush, it will only harm our own troops. Let's return to Guanzhong and prepare for tomorrow's battle."

Lu Hui knew that Shan Shiqi's martial arts were among the best in the country, and since he said this, he figured Guan Sheng must have something special, so he also reined in his troops.

Nothing more was said that night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another 2, please forgive me. Tomorrow, the midterm exams officially end, and then I'll start speeding up. Of course, being a student, my speed can't compare to the legendary masters. I'll start with ten updates a week, and I'll write more when I have more time.

Chapter Fifteen: Huguan Pass (Part Two)

Early the next morning, Guan Sheng led 30,000 troops to challenge the enemy at the pass.

Shan Shiqi also mustered 5,000 troops, along with Shi Ding, Zhu Jing, and Zhong Liang, donned their armor, mounted their horses, and led their troops out of the pass to meet the enemy. Both sides formed battle formations, using powerful bows and crossbows to hold their positions.

The two armies faced each other. Hao Siwen spurred his horse forward, shouting, "You wicked bastard, who dares to fight me?"

Hearing this, Shi Ding was also enraged and spurred his horse to attack Hao Siwen.

The two fought for over twenty rounds. Hao Siwen exploited an opening, allowing Shi Ding to get close, and with a roar, he cut Shi Ding down from his horse.

Seeing this, Shan Shiqi spurred his horse to attack Hao Siwen.

Guan Sheng, knowing that his martial arts were superior to Hao Siwen's, quickly spurred his horse forward, shouting, "Yesterday we fought without a clear winner; do you dare to fight me again this time?"

Hearing this, Shan Shiqi also spurred his horse to attack Guan Sheng.

Hao Siwen seized the fine horse and returned to his lines.

Guan Sheng and Shan Shiqi, however, were evenly matched, their skills matched, and in the blink of an eye, they had exchanged dozens of blows, leaving the soldiers on both sides somewhat stunned. It was a scene of cavalrymen raising their stirrups to watch, and infantrymen lifting their helmets to observe.

After several more rounds, Shan Shiqi was beginning to tire. Seeing Guan Sheng's undiminished prowess, he became somewhat flustered. He fought a few more rounds with great effort, then forced Guan Sheng to retreat, spurring his horse back to his lines. He dared not fight any further and ordered his troops to slowly retreat towards the pass. Guan

Sheng did not pursue, but instead rode back to his lines. He then ordered Ling Zhen to set up catapults in front of the lines, while simultaneously ordering a unit to feign an attack… Upon

seeing the dozen or so catapults on the pass, Shan Shiqi, remembering what the soldiers who had fled from Gaoping had said about cannons, was alarmed and quickly ordered the soldiers on the pass to disperse.

Lu Hui, seeing that Guan Sheng's troops seemed poised for a strong attack, quickly ordered all the archers to climb the walls and prepare to fire. Before the enemy could launch a full-scale attack, dozens of catapults fired simultaneously.

With a whooshing sound, over a dozen cannonballs landed on the pass.

"Boom!" "Boom!" Soldiers at the point of impact were instantly blown to pieces.

Although Tian Hu had captured several cities, the Hedong region was inherently barren, and years of famine had left him with little wealth. Furthermore, Tian Hu's massive construction of the palace at Weisheng and his indiscriminate recruitment of soldiers had resulted in inadequate armor and clothing for his troops, with archers often only lightly clothed.

While the cannon fire directly killed few soldiers, the shrapnel felled archers in droves. The wounded were undoubtedly more likely to cause chaos than the dead, and the rising cries of agony quickly terrified the other soldiers on the pass.

Seeing a soldier nearby blown to pieces, Lu Hui was also filled with fear. Seeing the catapults below loading cannons again, he dared not remain on the pass any longer and hurriedly fled down to the ground.

Seeing this, the other soldiers also rushed down the pass.

Shan Shiqi had just led his troops back to the pass and was about to go up to check when he saw more than a dozen cannons roaring into the pass. The ensuing explosions caused heavy casualties among the soldiers who had just entered the pass and hadn't gone far.

Shan Shiqi was shocked by the immense power of the Heavenly Army's cannons. Just as he was considering how to defend against them, he saw Lu Hui fleeing down the pass, followed by many soldiers.

Shan Shiqi knew that if he hesitated now, no one would be willing to defend the pass anymore. He immediately drew his sword, rushed forward, and slashed Lu Hui down, shouting, "His Majesty has sent 50,000 troops to reinforce us! If we hold out for a moment, victory will be ours! Everyone, follow me up the pass! Anyone who dares to leave the pass without permission will be executed!"

Seeing the menacing gaze of Shan Shiqi's personal guards, the soldiers had no choice but to follow him back up the pass, but they all kept their eyes fixed on the catapults below, hoping to avoid the cannon fire.

After the gunners fired another volley, Ling Zhen reported to Guan Sheng, "General, the cannons only have enough for one more volley. Should we continue firing?"

Guan Sheng knew that cannons could only be manufactured in the capital, and replied, "No need. The Jin army has lost its courage, and the objective has been achieved."

He then spurred his horse forward and shouted towards the pass, "Tian Hu is tyrannical and cruel, defying Heaven and harming the people. You all aided and abetted him, and should have been executed along with him. However, out of Heaven's mercy, I will give you one day to choose. If you remain obstinate, the army will return tomorrow, and there will be no mercy."

The soldiers on the pass had long lost their morale. If it weren't for Shan Shiqi wielding a sword and overseeing the battle, they would have fled the pass long ago. They remained on the pass, desperately praying for divine protection, hoping to hold out for a while longer. Hearing Guan Sheng's words, they breathed a sigh of relief.

Shan Shiqi, seeing the troops slowly retreating from the pass, also breathed a sigh of relief. After descending the pass, he sent someone to Sun An to report the emergency.

As Shan Shiqi was discussing with the remaining officers how to buy time, his soldiers reported, "Tang Bin is leading five hundred men, heading towards the pass from the side of Baodu Mountain."

Yun Zongwu, upon hearing this, said, "Tang Bin must have come to our aid upon hearing the news. If we have their help, we can hold out a little longer."

Shan Shiqi nodded and went out with the others to greet him.

A short while later, Tang Bin arrived at the pass. After everyone exchanged greetings, Tang Bin said, "Today, I heard constant cannon fire from the pass from the mountain stronghold. Fearing that your soldiers were insufficient, I came to provide assistance."

Shan Shiqi said, "Huguan Pass is strategically important and doesn't require many troops to defend it. However, the Heavenly Army's cannon fire has demoralized the troops inside, which is truly worrying."

Tang Bin said, "I heard deafening cannon fire from Baodu Mountain; its power must be astonishing. We cannot simply defend it blindly. If the Heavenly Army captures several cities in succession, they will surely become arrogant and complacent. If we can launch a night raid, we can surely defeat the Heavenly Army." Upon hearing this

, Shan Shiqi's eyes lit up, and he stared at Tang Bin . Tang Bin said, "General, your plan is excellent, but the Heavenly Army will surely be monitoring the troops inside the pass. If we launch a surprise attack from within the pass, we're afraid we'll be discovered."

Seeing Shan Shiqi staring intently at him, Tang Bin added, "General, your concerns are very valid. I'm willing to send Wen Zhongrong and Cui Kuo to lead troops out from the east of Baodu Mountain, with men in soft armor and horses without their tassels, to attack the Heavenly Army's camp from behind. However, the Baodu Mountain troops are no match for them, and I'm afraid we won't be able to expand our gains. I'll need General to lead troops to support us."

Seeing him agree to this plan, Shan Shiqi was delighted and said, "A two-pronged attack will surely defeat the Heavenly Army! I will certainly recommend you for credit." He then ordered wine to be prepared to entertain the Baodu Mountain troops.

Tang Bin immediately sent someone back to the mountain to report the news. Guan Sheng

also received the secret letter from Baodu Mountain and immediately summoned all the leaders to discuss the matter.

Han Cunbao said, "Tang Bin is General Guan's sworn brother, so there's no doubt about it. However, since the enemy troops have come out after us, we must make preparations. We should send a troop to lower their flags and silence their drums, sneaking behind the camp. If we encounter Generals Wen and Cui's troops, we must not let them rush into the camp. We must wait until our troops have captured this pass and hear the 'Heavenly Son Mother Cannon' fired before allowing them to approach. Two troop groups should sneak to the east and west of Huguan Pass to ambush. Upon hearing the cannon fire from inside the camp, the eastern troop will go to capture the pass, while the western troop will surround the Jin army. In case of a trap, our army can also counter-encircle the troops in the pass."

Guan Sheng, upon hearing this, felt it was somewhat unnecessary, but he knew it was better to be prepared. He nodded and said, "General Han's consideration is thorough. Everyone, listen to my orders: Dang Shixiong's troops will intercept the Baodushan troops at the rear camp. Liu Zhen's troops and Han Cunbao's troops will secretly watch the left and right sides of Huguan Pass. Once the central camp's 'Heavenly Son Mother Cannon' is fired, each unit will act according to the plan."

The generals received the orders and went to make their preparations.

Meanwhile, Shan Shiqi assembled his troops and, together with his generals, went to the pass to observe the situation of the Heavenly Army's camp. At midnight, flames soared into the sky from the Heavenly Army's rear camp, and the sounds of battle raged.

Tang Bin said, "This must be our Shan troops. The Heavenly Army must be in chaos. General, you should quickly leave the pass to expand your gains."

Shan Shiqi waited a while longer and saw the fire spreading towards the Heavenly Army's central camp. He had no more doubts and immediately led five thousand men out of the pass to attack. He ordered Tang Bin and Yun Zongwu to lead three thousand men to provide support, while ordering Zhu Jing and Zhong Liang to remain stationed at the pass.

Shan Shiqi led his troops out of the pass and charged straight into the Heavenly Army's central camp. Upon reaching it, they heard a cannon fire from the central camp, and Guan Sheng had already led his troops in a charge.

Seeing this, Shan Shiqi knew he had fallen into a trap and dared not fight further. He led his troops to retreat towards the pass. Looking towards the nearby pass, another force rushed out from the west, blocking their path.

Seeing an ambush ahead and pursuers behind, the Jin army's morale collapsed, and many fled into the darkness on either side. Shan Shiqi, hearing the sounds of battle echoing from within the pass, dared not advance further and spurred his horse to flee to the flank. Seeing their commander flee, the Jin soldiers either fled or surrendered; none were willing to fight to the death.

Shan Shiqi fled a short distance along a small path on the right when his horse lurched, and he was thrown from his horse. Dozens of ambushing soldiers rushed forward and bound him. It turned out that Han Cunbao, fearing a general might break out, had ordered tripwires set up on several small paths to capture him.

Liu Zhen and Tang Bin had already captured Huguan. Guan Sheng led his troops to Huguan, where Han Cunbao brought Shan Shiqi before him. Guan Sheng appeased him with kind words, and Shan Shiqi surrendered.

Chapter Sixteen: Easily Taking Beijing .

Meanwhile, Zhang Yang led his troops out of the capital, and the small prefectures and counties along the way all surrendered upon hearing the news.

The newly appointed garrison commander of Daming Prefecture in Beijing was a confidant of Wang Fu, whose troops had all been "sent" to Liangshan by Wang Fu. After taking office, this new official, in order to embezzle funds, bribe his superiors, and line his own pockets, only recruited three thousand soldiers. Hearing that Zhang Yang had overthrown the dynasty in Dongjing and that his benefactor had been executed, he knew that given his past actions, he would likely face death under the new regime. Having no troops to resist, he immediately packed his belongings and prepared to flee. Upon learning that Zhang Yang was leading troops north, he fled with his family.

The next day, corrupt officials and wealthy, troublesome households in the city, upon hearing the news, also fled. Within two days, the city descended into chaos, with ruffians and thugs looting and vandalizing the streets, making it impossible for the citizens to open their doors or go out during the day.

The Cai brothers, who served as prison wardens and executioners, had often offended these ruffians in their official duties. After the chaos in the city, the two men stayed indoors. Several times, local thugs came to cause trouble, but fortunately, their martial arts skills prevented any major incidents.

This day, while they were discussing their future, they heard a knock at the door.

Cai Qing, who had been cooped up at home for days, was in a bad mood. He immediately stood up and said, "Brother, don't stop me this time. Cripple those guys, and see who dares to cause trouble again."

Cai Fu laughed, "Even if I don't stop you, you probably won't get your way. Didn't you hear the gentle knocking? If it were those troublemakers, they would have kicked it open already. Go and see who it is."

Hearing this, Cai Qing reluctantly went to open the door with his brother.

The person at the door was over seven feet tall, about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, with a handsome and refined appearance. It was Xu Guanzhong, their childhood playmate and neighbor. Although Xu Guanzhong had grown up and preferred to travel the martial arts world, they had seen each other less often, but the bond they had cultivated since childhood had not faded.

Cai Qing stepped forward and gave Xu Guanzhong a bear hug, laughing, "Finally decided to come back! We brothers thought you were going to get married and have children up north."

Xu Guanzhong pushed Cai Qing away, laughing and scolding, "I'm not into male homosexuality, you're always teasing me." He then looked at Cai Qing strangely, saying, "Did the sun rise in the west today? Even the famous 'flower' of Beijing has withered."

Hearing this, Cai Qing said dejectedly, "The city has been in chaos these past few days. I've been holed up at home all day and haven't had the heart to bring that flower."

Xu Guanzhong asked curiously, "I just got back today and see the market in complete disarray. Brothers, tell me what happened!"

Seeing that Xu Guanzhong had finished joking, Cai Fu also spoke up, "A few days ago, Zhang Yang of Liangshan, taking advantage of his investiture, launched a surprise attack on Bianjing, deposed Emperor Huizong of Song, and established his own dynasty. Now he's leading his troops north. The corrupt officials in the city have all fled in disarray, and the other officials, unable to control the situation, have had to go home. The city has become the domain of our brothers..." "I see what's going on."

Upon hearing this, Xu Guanzhong's eyes lit up. He said, "I've also heard of Zhang Yang's reputation in Liangshan. The Song Dynasty is ruled by treacherous and wicked officials who are jealous of talent. I thought the Song Dynasty would ruin another hero, but unexpectedly, he seized Dongjing (Kaifeng) and established a new dynasty. The country's revitalization is in sight. Why don't we first control Beijing, and when he arrives with his troops, we can surrender the city and surrender to him. In the future, we can also make a living."

Cai Fu, who was skilled in martial arts, naturally dared not remain silent. Hearing this, he was also greatly moved and said, "You are knowledgeable and experienced. Tell me, how should we proceed?"

Xu Guanzhong thought for a moment and said, "You should first gather your prison guards, and then we should raise the banner of the Celestial Dynasty. Those rogue rebels should not dare to attack us. Then we can recruit some new soldiers and control the city."

Upon hearing this, Cai Fu gritted his teeth and said, "Fortune favors the bold. Brother, please stay here and take care of my family. We brothers will go and gather men now."

The three agreed and immediately went their separate ways.

Cai Fu and Cai Qing, waving the banner of the Celestial Empire, quickly gathered their prison guards.

Xu Guanzhong immediately led his men to the military camp. Upon arriving, they found the gates wide open, with a few soldiers moving about inside.

Most of the new recruits had already fled home, while the ruffians were looting in the streets. Only some homeless and honest refugees remained in the camp, waiting for the Celestial Empire's offer of amnesty.

Xu Guanzhong, waving the banner of the Celestial Empire, quickly subdued these soldiers. He then ordered Cai Fu and Cai Qing to lead men to suppress the looting soldiers and ruffians within the city.

Soon, the city was pacified. Some officials and wealthy families who hadn't fled, hearing of this, contacted Xu Guanzhong. After appeasing the officials and gentry, Xu Guanzhong sent scouts to the south gate.

The situation in Beijing naturally didn't escape Zhang Yang's notice. Upon learning of the chaos in Beijing, Zhang Yang immediately dispatched Lu Junyi with an army to rush to Beijing.

Lu Junyi had returned home in glory, and his journey was swift and efficient. He marched a hundred li that very day, only allowing his soldiers to rest as darkness fell. At dawn the next day, he led his troops towards Daming Prefecture, Beijing. As dusk approached, he saw the city walls of Daming.

Looking at the familiar walls, Lu Junyi sighed with emotion. His ambition to achieve glory on the battlefield finally had a chance to be realized, but it was a pity that the first city he had conquered offered no resistance.

Just then, he saw a group of gentry emerging from the city. Lu Junyi, assuming the city was still in chaos, was taken aback, but confident in his strong army and without news of reinforcements from Beijing, he immediately spurred his horse forward.

The gentry of Beijing, seeing the dark mass of the army slowly approaching, felt a pang of fear and anxiously awaited the arrival of their commander.

A sharp-eyed gentryman recognized Lu Junyi at the head of the group and exclaimed, "It's Master Lu!"

Hearing this, everyone craned their necks to look. Xu Guanzhong, who had also spotted Yan Qing beside Lu Junyi, breathed a sigh of relief.

As Lu Junyi rode closer, Xu Guanzhong led his men forward to kowtow, saying, "This humble subject, Xu Guanzhong, leads the gentry of Beijing to pay homage to your esteemed official."

Lu Junyi, however, had never heard of Xu Guanzhong before and said, "Rise, all of you. Was it you who quelled the unrest in the city?"

Xu Guanzhong continued to bow, saying, "This humble subject used the name of the Celestial Empire to control the situation in the city. I beg your pardon for impersonation."

The gentry behind him were about to rise when they realized that Xu Guanzhong had impersonated someone else. Their previous promises were now void, and if they were held accountable, they would all be accomplices. Thinking this, they kowtowed again, begging for forgiveness.

Upon hearing this, Lu Junyi laughed and said, "Get up, all of you. You quelled the internal strife and saved the people from much loss. What crime have you committed? Not only are you innocent, but your merit is also considerable. I will definitely recommend you to the Emperor."

Upon hearing this, Xu Guanzhong quickly thanked Lu Junyi.

After the group entered the city, Lu Junyi ordered his men to take over the city's defenses, posted notices to reassure the people, and sealed the treasury.

Lu Junyi led the group to the garrison headquarters. Seeing the gentry's anxiety, he smiled and said, "His Majesty has decreed that those who voluntarily surrender will be pardoned. Everyone

, please go home and rest." The gentry breathed a sigh of relief and took their leave.

Lu Junyi then inquired about the situation in the city over the past few days before letting Xu Guanzhong leave.

Xu Guanzhong emerged from the main hall to find Yan Qing waiting outside. The two were close friends and chatted for a while. Xu Guanzhong then took Yan Qing to Cai Fu's house, where the four talked late into the night by candlelight.

Two days later, Zhang Yang arrived with his troops. Lu Junyi explained the details, and Zhang Yang, upon hearing that it was the brothers Xu Guanzhong and Cai Fu, who had made a brief appearance in the Water Margin, immediately ordered his men to summon the three.

Xu Guanzhong and his two companions had been waiting outside. Upon hearing Zhang Yang's summons, they hurried inside to pay their respects.

Seeing Zhang Yang in his imperial robes,

they were about to kneel in greeting. Zhang Yang stepped forward and helped Xu Guanzhong up, saying, "Everyone, no need for formalities. You three have rendered meritorious service by surrendering the city; I will reward you later." He then turned to Xu Guanzhong and said, "I heard from Yan Qing that you have just returned from the Liao Kingdom. Tell me about the current situation."

Xu Guanzhong knew that Zhang Yang was testing his abilities. If he could gain Zhang Yang's favor, he would have no shortage of opportunities in the future. He composed himself and said, "Then this humble subject will offer his humble opinion. The Liao emperor is fond of hunting and leads a life of debauchery and extravagance. He also heavily relies on treacherous officials like Xiao Fengxian and Xiao Deli, causing the infighting among the imperial clan and nobles to escalate. This year, he listened to Xiao Fengxian's slander and murdered ministers of the Jin Prince's faction, leading to the defection of Yelü Yudu, the deputy commander of the imperial army, to the Jin Dynasty. Other members of the imperial clan also..." The people are filled with fear. Furthermore, the Jin army is fierce and powerful; I fear they won't last more than a few years.”

Zhang Yang nodded upon hearing this, saying, “Then do you think the Liao will send troops after learning of our situation?”

Xu Guanzhong replied, “The Liao has also suffered from constant natural disasters in recent years, coupled with years of fighting with the Jin, leaving their treasury empty. The Liao emperor is also ambitious and eager for glory, and with treacherous officials like Xiao Fengxian flattering them, they will surely send troops south. Your Majesty should prepare early.”

Zhang Yang nodded, saying, “Great minds think alike. I just received news that Lin Chong and Wang Huan have already persuaded Xiong and Ba prefectures

to surrender. If the Liao army marches south, I will certainly teach them a lesson. The three are hereby appointed: Cai Fu and Cai Qing as centurions of my personal guards, and Xu Guanzhong as military advisor.” Upon hearing this, the three hurriedly kowtowed in gratitude.

The next day, Zhang Yang ordered Lu Junyi to lead 30,000 troops to garrison Beijing and capture the nearby prefectures, while Zhang Yang himself led 20,000 troops to Xiong Prefecture.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

05-09
Chapter Seventeen: Tian Hu's Defeat

Wang Huan, relying on his decades of prestige in Hebei, successfully persuaded Xiong Ba to surrender at two strategic passes, and then sent letters to all the prefectures in Hebei to surrender. In addition, Zhang Yang led his troops north, granting amnesty to those who surrendered for their past crimes. Seeing Zhang Yang's growing power, the prefectures along the way also surrendered one after another.

Meanwhile, after Guan Sheng captured Huguan, he immediately ordered Shan Shiqi to lead troops to trick the gates of Longde Prefecture and capture it.

Sun An, the commander of the Jin Kingdom's palace guard, arrived at Lucheng with his troops, only to hear that Huguan and Longde had changed hands overnight. He immediately beheaded several escaped generals of Longde and led his troops to seize Longde.

Guan Sheng had just sent someone to persuade Dong Cheng of Lingchuan to surrender when he suddenly received a report that Sun An, the commander of the Jin Kingdom's palace guard, was leading ten generals and fifty thousand troops to seize the city and had set up camp ten miles outside the city.

Guan Sheng immediately summoned his generals to discuss the matter.

Tang Bin said, "Sun An is quite shrewd, possesses extraordinary strength, and is highly skilled in martial arts, wielding two iron swords. The rest are mediocre. If we can capture Sun An, the others will retreat without a fight."

Guan Sheng, upon hearing this, laughed and said, "That's easy. Tomorrow I will personally go out of the city to capture him."

Shan Shiqi, who also had some acquaintance with Sun An, said, "This humble general has some acquaintance with Sun An. Tomorrow, allow me to persuade him to surrender first. If he refuses, I can capture him myself. Why should the general personally take action?" Guan

Sheng, upon hearing this, laughed and said, "If we can avoid fighting, that would be even better. Then tomorrow, I will trouble General Shan to go out and I will cover for him. To prevent the Jin army from fleeing, Tang Bin can lead troops to ambush at Baigu Mountain in the northeast overnight. If the Jin army retreats, you can lead troops to intercept and kill them."

Tang Bin accepted the order and immediately mustered his troops and left the city.

Early the next morning, Sun An led his army to challenge the enemy outside the city.

Guan Sheng led his troops out of the city and arrayed them in battle formation. Shan Shiqi spurred his horse forward and shouted, "General Sun, please come out and answer my question."

Sun An, seeing that it was Shan Shiqi, the garrison commander of Huguan, stepped forward and rebuked him, "The Prince of Jin treated you well; how could you betray us and defect to the enemy?"

Shan Shiqi replied, "Tian Hu is cruel and tyrannical. Since capturing Weisheng, he has acted arrogantly and oppressively, exploiting the people. How is he any different from that tyrannical emperor of the Song Dynasty? We initially served him only because we saw a tyrannical emperor in power and wanted to restore peace to the world. Who knew that we would drive away a wolf

only to have a tiger appear? Now, the Emperor of the Heavenly Dynasty is benevolent and righteous. Good birds choose good trees to perch on. Why don't you join us in surrendering to the Heavenly Dynasty, sweeping away the tyranny, and restoring a bright and clear world for the people?" Upon hearing this, Sun An was stunned. Thinking of Tian Hu's actions, he remained silent for a long time.

Seeing Sun An deep in thought, Guan Sheng spurred his horse forward and said, "Our Emperor acts in accordance with Heaven's will and the people's wishes; he is not comparable to the likes of Tian Hu. The Central Plains are in chaos, and the Western Xia will surely take advantage of the situation. This is the time for us to serve our country. How can

you, General, bear to fight among your own?" Sun An was startled by this. He looked at Guan Sheng and said with difficulty, "The Prince of Jin's behavior is indeed disappointing, but since I serve under him, I have no choice but to do my best. If you can defeat me, General, I will lead my troops to surrender."

Guan Sheng was delighted and said, "It's a deal! I have long admired your name, General, and have been eager to test my skills."

Sun An nodded and charged towards Guan Sheng.

Guan Sheng, also wanting to subdue him, used all his strength to meet him.

The two fought for fifty or sixty rounds, then Guan Sheng feigned weakness, barely managing to hold out for another dozen rounds before fleeing back into the enemy lines.

Although Sun An was eager to serve, he didn't hold back in battle. Seeing this, he spurred his horse and gave chase. Just as he was about to catch up with Guan Sheng, Guan Sheng roared and swung his blade.

Sun An was terrified to see Guan Sheng's broadsword coming down on him. Realizing he couldn't dodge in time, he could only close his eyes and await his death.

Guan Sheng, seeing this, quickly lowered his wrist and deflected his blade, narrowly avoiding Sun An's attack. Guan Sheng sheathed his sword, cupped his hands, and said, "General, your martial arts are superb. I had no choice but to resort to the dragging sword technique. I apologize for the inconvenience."

Upon hearing this, Sun An opened his eyes, only to find himself drenched in cold sweat. He immediately dismounted and said, "General, you are righteous. I, Sun An, am willing to surrender."

Guan Sheng dismounted and helped Sun An up, saying, "With your assistance, General, I can soon quell Tian Hu's rebellion and resist the invasion of Western Xia."

Sun An said, "This humble general is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot; I have almost become a traitor to the country. This humble general will now go and persuade the troops to surrender." Guan

Sheng had no doubts and smiled, "Then I will trouble you, General."

Sun An mounted his horse and returned to his lines. The other lieutenants, seeing that Sun An was willing to surrender, realized their own martial arts were inferior and, seeing Guan Sheng's large army eyeing them menacingly, they

all surrendered as well. Sun An then led his lieutenants to pay their respects to Guan Sheng. After they exchanged greetings, Guan Sheng spoke kindly and reassured them.

Seeing that Guan Sheng treated his subordinates with respect, Deputy General Lu Qing said, "At this time, Lucheng is unaware that we have surrendered. This humble general is willing to lead troops to capture the city."

Guan Sheng also wanted to quell Tian Hu's rebellion as soon as possible, but since Sun An and the others had just surrendered, he couldn't force them to immediately go and capture the city. Hearing Lu Qing's initiative to challenge him, he was overjoyed and laughed, "General, this is a good plan. I will certainly award you a first-class merit. Tang Bin can lead 10,000 troops to accompany Lu Qing to capture the city."

Seeing this, Yao Yue also said, "This humble general is willing to lead troops to capture Xiangyuan."

Guan Sheng then assigned Dang Shixiong and Yao Yue to take Xiangyuan.

The four men each mustered their troops and went their separate ways, with Guan Sheng leading his army into the city. Upon arriving at the government office, Guan Sheng produced a map and said, “Tian Hu has only managed to capture Weisheng, Taiyuan, Fenzhou, and Jinzhou. After we take Xiangyuan, we can directly attack Weisheng and capture Tian Hu. To prevent Tian Hu from surrendering to Western Xia, we should divide our forces into two routes: the western route will attack Jinzhou, and then the northern route will capture Fenzhou, encircling Weisheng. We must kill Tian Hu to prevent him from causing further trouble.”

Han Cunbao, upon hearing this, said, “This humble general is willing to lead troops to attack Jinzhou.”

Guan Sheng said, “Very well, you and General Shan Shiqi will go to take Jinzhou. Also, assign Ling Zhen’s artillery to assist your troops. We must capture both prefectures as soon as possible. News has arrived from Bianjing that Western Xia has already mobilized troops to the Left Wing Shenyong Division and will likely invade Hedong soon. We should annihilate Tian Hu as soon as possible and then reinforce the border prefectures.”

After discussing their contact methods, Han Cunbao led his troops to Jinzhou.

The next day, Dong Cheng, the garrison commander of Lingchuan County, seeing Guan Sheng's army advancing with unstoppable momentum and realizing his isolated city was difficult to defend, also surrendered with his troops. Guan Sheng then reorganized his forces while simultaneously trying to persuade the other counties to surrender. Within two days, news arrived from Lucheng and Xiangyuan. Guan Sheng then led his troops towards Xiangyuan.

Meanwhile, the remnants of the Xiangyuan army fled to Weisheng. Tian Hu's subordinate officials, having learned of the fall of Xiangyuan, rushed to the palace to inform Tian Hu. However, Tian Hu was in the harem indulging in pleasure with his concubines and refused to receive his officials.

The officials left the palace and, after some discussion, went to find the Right Chancellor and Grand Tutor, Bian Xiang.

Bian Xiang was of peasant origin, possessed the strength of a water buffalo, and was highly skilled in martial arts. When Tian Hu first became an outlaw, he relied heavily on Bian Xiang's strength. Later, in the fight against the Song army, Bian Xiang repeatedly distinguished himself, thus becoming Grand Tutor. Upon hearing that the imperial army was already approaching Weisheng, he hurriedly brought the officials to the palace to pay their respects to Tian Hu.

Tian Hu was being intimate with Consort Fan when he saw Bian Xiang leading his men through the guards and entering. He was furious and stood up, shouting, "What business do you have, daring to disrupt the palace?"

Bian Xiang replied, "The Heavenly Army has already captured Xiangyuan, and their advance is heading straight for Weisheng. Your Majesty should quickly send troops to resist them."

Upon hearing this, Tian Hu was also greatly alarmed and hurriedly ordered his men to summon Privy Councilor Fan Quan and Commander-in-Chief Wu Li.

Fan Quan, the brother of Consort Fan, relied on his sister's favor to amass wealth and abuse power. Hearing that provincial officials had informed Bian Xiang first, he was secretly annoyed. He glared at the officials and said, "Weisheng is surrounded by mountains, with ample provisions and tens of thousands of elite Imperial Guards. To the east are Wuxiang, and to the west are Qinyuan, each with ten thousand elite troops. Behind us are Taiyuan, Qi, Lin, and Dagu counties, all with strong fortifications and sufficient provisions, making it both offensive and defensive. What is there to fear from the imperial army's attack? However, Bian Xiang's intrusion into the palace is a serious offense. If he is not punished, it may encourage others to follow suit, causing His Majesty to lose his authority and become unable to govern."

Bian Xiang, a boorish and impetuous man, already harbored resentment towards Fan Quan. Hearing this, he flew into a rage, grabbed Fan Quan, and began to punch him.

Fan Quan, however, was a debauched man, already weak. When Wu Li held Bian Xiang and looked at him, his eyes had already rolled back.

Seeing this, Tian Hu became even angrier and shouted, "Guards! Drag Bian Xiang out and execute him!"

Wu Li, seeing this, quickly stepped forward and advised, "This is a time of great difficulty for the nation. If Your Majesty executes a meritorious official for this reason, it may cause the soldiers to become disloyal, which would be detrimental to our resistance against the enemy."

Tian Hu, upon hearing this, was somewhat tempted and was about to use an excuse to pardon Bian Xiang.

However, the eunuch who had received Consort Fan's report came out and, after some persistent entreaties, Tian Hu led his men to execute Bian Xiang. He then ordered Wu Li to lead troops to seize Xiangyuan.

Wu Li, lacking confidence in defeating Guan Sheng and seeing Tian Hu's cruelty towards Bian Xiang, knew he would face certain death after defeat. That very night, he gathered his men, stormed the palace, captured Tian Hu, and presented him to Guan Sheng in Xiangyuan.

Guan Sheng, overjoyed by this unexpected turn of events, immediately ordered Tian Hu to be escorted to Dongjing (Kaifeng) while simultaneously leading his troops north to subdue various prefectures and counties.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The attack on foreign tribes has begun, so let's deal with Tian Hu as soon as possible. This chapter should be considered reasonable.

Chapter Eighteen: Northwest and Southeast.

While Niu Wenzhong was advising Tian Biao of Jinzhou to attack Zezhou, they learned that Han Cunbao had already led 20,000 troops to attack. Tian Biao and Niu Wenzhong immediately led their troops out of the city to meet the attack.

The two armies faced each other. Shan Shiqi stepped forward and said, "Tian Hu is tyrannical and cruel. Why should our soldiers risk their lives for him?"

Tian Biao was furious upon hearing this, but knowing Shan Shiqi's superior martial arts, he said to a nearby officer, "Whoever can retrieve the head of this traitor will be rewarded with a hundred taels of gold and promoted three ranks."

The subordinate general Lu Feng immediately spurred his horse forward and charged at Shan Shiqi. After less than three rounds, Shan Shiqi swept him off his horse with a single blow, and several soldiers rushed forward to tie him up.

Seeing this, Tian Biao became even angrier and sent two more generals, but neither could withstand ten rounds from Shan Shiqi.

Seeing this, Niu Wenzhong was enraged and spurred his horse to attack Shan Shiqi.

The two fought for over thirty rounds before Shan Shiqi feigned an opening, luring Niu Wenzhong to strike. Shan Shiqi dodged, and Niu Wenzhong missed his target, failing to retract his blade. Shan Shiqi swept Niu off his horse with a club, and several soldiers captured him alive.

Tian Biao's officers were terrified by this, and none dared to fight again. Seeing no one willing to step forward, Tian Biao had no choice but to lead his troops back into the city.

Han Cunbao, seeing this, did not pursue. With a wave of his signal flags, his formation split to the left and right, and ten catapults were slowly deployed.

Before Tian Biao's troops had fully retreated into the city, the Lingzhen cannons began to fire, the deafening roar causing the Jin soldiers to scatter and rush into the city.

Han Cunbao then led his troops to pursue them. Tian Biao entered the city and, seeing the imperial army approaching, tried to close the gates, but was blocked by his own rear guard and unable to do so. The soldiers in the city, stunned by the cannon fire, turned and fled at the sight of the approaching imperial troops. Tian Biao, unable to stop them, also led his troops to escape through the north gate.

After capturing Jinzhou, Han Cunbao left Shan Shiqi to defend the city and subdue the surrounding counties, while he led his army towards Fenzhou. He had just set out when he heard that Guan Sheng had captured Weisheng, and that the counties of Fenzhou and Taiyuan had all surrendered.

The Western Xia army had also broken through the Jinning army and was advancing south. Guan Sheng had already arrived in Fenzhou, preparing to resist the attack. Upon receiving this news, Han Cunbao hurriedly led his troops to Fenzhou.

Meanwhile, Zhong Shidao was in Huangzhou preparing his troops to defend against the Western Xia army under Chage when he suddenly received news that Zhang Yang of Liangshan had attacked Bianjing. Zhong Shidao was greatly alarmed upon hearing this. He should, in principle, lead his troops to defend the emperor, but if he moved his troops, the Western Xia would surely invade. However, if he remained inactive, he would undoubtedly be considered a disloyal minister.

Just as he was hesitating, he heard that Zhang Shuye was requesting an audience.

Zhong Shidao knew that this old friend had been transferred to Dongping Prefecture in Shandong last year, and after Zhang Yang broke through Dongping Prefecture, he disappeared without a trace, which had saddened him for a while. Now, his sudden appearance to visit was something no one would believe had nothing to do with Zhang Yang. After hesitating for a moment, he still had someone invite him in.

Zhang Shuye entered and saw Zhong Shidao's hesitant expression. Knowing that Zhong had already received the news, he got straight to the point, saying, "Uncle Yi (Zhong Shidao's courtesy name), you must already know about the events in Dongjing. I won't hide it from you; I have already pledged allegiance to the new emperor. I've come here hoping that you, Uncle Yi, will consider the greater good of the nation and temporarily lead the troops to resist the Western Xia, lest the Dangxiang tribe profit from this."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Shidao hesitated, his face full of curiosity, and asked, "Ji Zhong is also a loyal man. What ability does Zhang Yang have to make Ji Zhong pledge allegiance to him?"

Upon hearing this, a hint of awe flashed across Zhang Shuye's face, and he said solemnly, "What if I say it's the will of Heaven?"

Zhong Shidao asked curiously, "What do you mean?"

Zhang Shuye said, "..." Even before Fang La's rebellion, the new emperor had foreseen its timing and scale, and his skills were far beyond those of ordinary people. Zhong

Shidao pondered for a moment upon hearing this, then said, "Perhaps he has some kind of alliance with Fang La. I wonder how skilled he is that Ji Zhong praises him so highly?"

Zhang Shuye said, "Guan Sheng, a descendant of the Martial Saint of the Three Kingdoms; Lin Chong, the instructor of the 800,000 Imperial Guards of Dongjing; and Yang Zhi, a descendant of the Golden Saber General Yang—if we only consider martial arts, these three are probably superior to us. Yet none of them could withstand a single blow from the new emperor, and even when they joined forces, they couldn't last more than a few rounds. Uncle Yi, have you heard of such martial arts?"

Upon hearing this, Zhong Shidao exclaimed in surprise, "If that's true, it certainly doesn't seem like human skill!"

Zhang Shuye said, "Moreover, the new emperor is a man of great talent and ambition, and his benevolence and righteousness are widespread, surpassing even Emperor Taizu of Song. Under his leadership, our country will not be unable to recapture the glory of the Han and Tang dynasties. Now the new emperor has led his troops north to guard against the Liao invasion. I believe that within a month, he will pacify the northern border, and then he can come to your aid, General."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Shidao hurriedly said, "I haven't said I wouldn't go to defend the emperor."

Zhang Shuye said, "Uncle Yi, do you want to let the millions of people in the northwest suffer the ravages of the Western Xia for the sake of your own family's rise and fall?"

Zhong Shidao was already the third-generation border general of the Zhong family, and the idea instilled in him from birth was to defend the border and protect the people. Upon hearing this, he couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

Zhang Shuye also believed that he would ultimately make the right choice, and said no more.

After a long pause, Zhong Shidao finally looked up and resolutely said, "I will lead the troops to resist the Western Xia first. However, most of the troops in the Northwest have gone south to the south, and I'm afraid they can't hold out for long. Moreover, there are no great generals commanding Huanqing Road and Fuyan Road, and I'm afraid the Western Xia will break through from there."

Zhang Shuye said, "His Majesty has ordered the troops to garrison in Xijing, but without the general's consent, it is not advisable to enter the Northwest. Now that the general has agreed to defend against the foreign enemy first, I will send a message to order them to lead the troops westward to seize Huanqing Road and Fuyan Road to resist the Western Xia invasion."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Shidao said, "I will inform my brothers in Weizhou to resist the Western Xia. Ji Zhong, you should also act quickly, as the Western Xia has probably already received the news."

Zhang Shuye said, "Then I will take my leave first. After we defeat the Western Xia, we can drink and chat again."

Zhong Shidao said, "We'll talk about it later. You don't need to be so polite. I still need to arrange for my subordinates to prepare."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shuye also bowed and took his leave.

Upon receiving Zhang Shuye's message, Huyan Zhuo immediately ordered Yang Wen and Zhang Kai to defend

the city, while he himself led Li Congji, Wang Wende, and Hua Rong's troops westward. Meanwhile, Tong Guan, who was dividing his forces to annihilate Fang La's remaining forces, heard of the events in Dongjing (Kaifeng) and hastily summoned his advisors Dong Yun and Ma Kuo.

Both were greatly alarmed upon hearing the news. Ma Kuo blurted out, "The Emperor is in peril; we should quickly send troops to his aid."

Tong Guan initially shared this thought, but considering Zhang Yang's fierce and powerful army and the fortifications of Dongjing, he lost confidence and looked towards Dong Yun.

Dong Yun also saw through Tong Guan's thoughts. After pondering for a while, he said, "Fang La's remnants are not yet wiped out. If we lead troops north, there is a risk of them rising again. In my opinion, Grand Tutor should continue to suppress Fang La's remnants. The task of defending the emperor will be handled by the troops of the various prefectures north of the Yangtze River. However, we should first bring back Fang La and his men to prevent Zhang Yang from using Fang La to remotely control the rebels in the south of the Yangtze River."

Tong Guan nodded upon hearing this, saying, "That makes sense. Zhang Yang is nothing but a rabble. Once the troops of the various prefectures north of the Yangtze River arrive, they will surely wipe him out with the force of an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves. The south of the Yangtze River is the source of the country's revenue, so we cannot let it slip away."

Ma Kuo wanted to speak again, but Tong Guan had already left the tent to arrange for troops to pursue and escort Fang La's entourage.

Chapter Nineteen: The Liao Invasion .

Han Shizhong looked at Fang La, whose head was drooping in the prison cart behind him, and was also filled with resentment. He had led his troops in a desperate battle to capture Fang La, only to have the man snatched away by Xin Xingzhong, the commander of Xihe. Tong Guan wouldn't allow him to argue and assumed it was Xin Xingzhong's doing. Even worse, he was now responsible for escorting Fang La to the capital to claim a reward for him.

Looking towards Chenzhou, a scout reported, "Many carriages and horses have appeared on the official road ahead, and quite a few civilians have fled there."

Han Shizhong thought to himself, "Haozhou is right under the emperor's nose; how could so many people be fleeing?" Thinking this, he spurred his horse to the front and indeed saw many carriages and horses approaching in a continuous line, seemingly followed by servants.

Han Shizhong stopped a carriage and asked, "What's going on in Chenzhou?"

The driver, seeing a military officer blocking the road, quickly replied respectfully, "Zhang Yang of Liangshan has captured Dongjing (Kaifeng). The people in the city are afraid they'll raid southwards and want to flee."

Han Shizhong, seeing that the group behind him was mostly made up of carriages and horses, said irritably, "What 'people'? You're probably all wealthy families. All of you, move aside and let us pass."

Seeing Han Shizhong's unfriendly tone, the driver didn't dare argue and quickly moved the carriage to the side of the road. The other caravans, seeing Han Shizhong and his group all carrying guns and knives, also moved aside.

Seeing Han Shizhong still intending to advance, Xie Yuan, one of Han Shizhong's generals, asked in surprise, "Since Tokyo has already been occupied by the rebels, wouldn't we be like lambs to the slaughter if we go there?"

Han Shizhong replied, "I am ordered to escort Fang La to the capital. Without military orders, how can I return? Although the rebels have occupied the capital, if the surrounding prefectures and counties hear of this, they will surely bring troops to defend the emperor. We should observe from Chenzhou. Once the capital is pacified, we can escort Fang La to the capital."

Xie Yuan said, "But Chenzhou is only about three hundred li from the capital. If the rebels advance south, we may not be able to resist them."

Han Shizhong shook his head and said, "The Western Xia and Liao kingdoms are eyeing us covetously. The rebels will definitely send troops to seize the northwestern prefectures, otherwise Bianjing will be exposed to attacks from both countries. The rebels don't have many troops to advance south. We should gather some troops in Chenzhou and then decide what to do next."

After saying this, he spurred his horse and headed straight for Chenzhou.

Han Shizhong led his troops into Chenzhou and found the city in complete chaos. He first imprisoned Fang La and his followers, then ordered the city's defenses to be taken over, the remaining troops to be gathered, and intelligence from various regions to be collected.

Upon receiving Zhang Yang's letter of abdication from Emperor Huizong, the prefectures of Chengdu, Lizhou, and Kuizhou (near Sichuan) all guessed the truth and began to prepare their armies to defend the emperor. However, seeing that the elite troops in the northwest had not moved and that the Western Xia showed signs of invasion, they remained in their respective jurisdictions and observed the situation. Only the garrison commander of Nanjing issued a document to the southern prefectures, calling for reinforcements. Upon receiving the message, the prefectures of Huainan dispatched troops to Nanjing.

Within a few days, Han Shizhong learned that Zhang Yang's main force had already departed, and that Nanjing's Yingtian Prefecture had gathered troops to defend the emperor. Just as Han Shizhong was preparing to escort Fang La to Nanjing, he received an order from Tong Guan to escort Fang La south again.

After reading the document, Han Shizhong's face turned ashen.

Jie Yuan asked curiously, "General, what order came from Jiangnan?"

Han Shizhong replied in a muffled voice, "They want us to escort Fang La south again."

Jie Yuan was even more puzzled and asked, "Isn't the army going north to defend the emperor?"

Han Shizhong shook his head and said, "The document doesn't say so, but they ordered us to escort Fang La south, which clearly means they have no intention of defending the emperor."

Could it be that Tong Guan wanted to amass power for himself? This thought crossed Jie Yuan's mind, but he couldn't voice it. Seeing Han Shizhong's silence, Jie Yuan asked, "Then what should we do?"

Han Shizhong thought for a moment and said firmly, "We'll escort Fang La to Nanjing and then send someone to report the situation in Dongjing (Kaifeng) to Jiangnan. I believe the Grand Tutor will lead his troops north." Jie Yuan

said, "But in that case, General, you'll be disobeying orders. After the Grand Tutor goes north, he might punish you."

Han Shizhong said, "A general in the field may disobey the emperor's orders. We'll deal with the rest later."

Seeing that Han Shizhong had made up his mind, Jie Yuan went to arrange for the troops to set off.

Upon receiving Han Shizhong's report, Tong Guan was relieved to learn that Zhang Yang's main force was advancing westward and northward. He left Guo Zhongxun, Liu Guangshi, and Yao Pingzhong to suppress the remnants of Fang La's forces, while he himself led an army of 80,000 northward.

Meanwhile, the situation in the Liao Dynasty was deteriorating. Emperor Yelü Yanxi, after being defeated by 20,000 Jurchen troops with 700,000 men at Hubudagang, was terrified and fled at the mere mention of news of the Jurchens' approach to the capital. He fled to Zhongjing (present-day Nanjing). In August, upon hearing signs of a Jurchen attack on Zhongjing, he hastily fled to Nanjing. Only

after reaching Yanjing (present-day Beijing), a city protected by formidable passes and towering mountains, did he finally breathe a sigh of relief and resume his leisurely life. News of the internal strife in the Song Dynasty

finally brought him back to the Jin court. Yelü Yanxi was already planning to launch a military campaign to take advantage of the chaos, but he feigned concern by asking, "The Song Dynasty is in turmoil. What do you all think our dynasty should do in response?"

Xiao Fengxian, a powerful minister, stepped forward first upon hearing this, saying, "The Song Dynasty is in turmoil, and the border prefectures are bound to be preoccupied with their own problems. Perhaps some prefectures will even send troops south to defend the emperor. Conquering the Song Dynasty has always been our country's ambition, and now is the perfect opportunity for us to march south. We only need to send an elite force south to defeat the border prefectures one by one. The Song Dynasty is wealthy, and we can obtain money and provisions from them to support the northern front."

Yelü Dashi also regarded Zhang Yang as just an ordinary bandit and did not believe that the Song Dynasty would have a large enough army to resist the Liao Dynasty, thus forcing the Liao Dynasty to fight on two fronts. Upon hearing this, he added, "With the Song capital attacked, the border prefectures must be in a state of panic. Your Majesty could mobilize troops while simultaneously sending envoys to persuade the officials of each prefecture to surrender. If we can capture a few cities without fighting, we can then send surrendered troops to lead the charge, reducing our military losses."

General Xiao Gan also said, "What Da Shi Lin Ya (a Liao official title) said is quite right. The two prefectures of Xiong Ba are two crucial cities. We should send ministers to personally persuade them to surrender. If we capture these two cities, the Song Dynasty will have no defensible positions."

Seeing that everyone was in agreement, Yelü Yanxi also appointed two vice ministers to offer amnesty. Afterwards, he divided his troops into two routes to invade the south. The western route, led by Yelü Dezhong, consisted of 30,000 troops from Zhuozhou, which approached Xiong Prefecture. The western route, led by Commander-in-Chief Wuyan Guang, consisted of 50,000 troops from Nanjing, which also approached Xiong Prefecture.

The two prefectures of Xiong Ba had already received Wang Huan's letter and, seeing the Liao army pressing in, were naturally unwilling to submit to a foreign power. However, they could not fight on two fronts, so they had no choice but to submit to the Celestial Empire. Yang Zhi and Lin Chong also took control of Xiong Ba and Xiong Ba prefectures before the Liao army's southward invasion. Yelü Dezhong

and Wuyan Guang, having received reinforcements from Xiong Ba and Xiong Ba, dared not easily launch an attack and could only report to Nanjing. Yelü Yanxi hurriedly summoned his ministers for discussion. Xiao Fengxian, however, said, "The two prefectures only have tens of thousands more bandits; they certainly cannot stop our army. Your Majesty can order both armies to continue the siege; we will surely conquer them with overwhelming force." Yelü Dashi, hearing of the Heavenly Army's swift movements, was also surprised and said, "Zhang Yang's troop movements are so rapid; he is probably not an easy opponent. If our country is defeated, we will have few reinforcements to send, and a stalemate may ensue, wasting resources. It would be better to send envoys to make them submit, like the Song Dynasty." They usually pay tribute annually. It seems he's unable to pacify other parts of the Song Dynasty, nor does he want to wage war against our country. Xiao Fengxian said, "Da Shi Lin Ya is too cowardly. A mere bandit, how can he withstand our great nation? The Song Dynasty is surely in chaos, and Western Xia and Tubo will undoubtedly send troops to attack and seize territory. Our country cannot lag behind." Yelü Yanxi, however, didn't take a mere bandit seriously. Hearing this, he said, "Order two armies to launch a strong attack on the two prefectures." Hearing this, Yelü Da Shi had no choice but to retreat dejectedly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please vote! Recommendations are exhausted, don't let the votes disappear too! Chapter Twenty: The First Battle on the Northern Frontier Since Shi Jingtang of the Later Jin Dynasty ceded the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun to the Khitan, the Central Plains lost its natural northern barrier, and the Great Wall lost its defensive function. Emperor Shizong of the Later Zhou Dynasty, Chai Rong, once attempted to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, but fell critically ill and withdrew his troops when he reached the Juma River. After the establishment of the Later Zhou Dynasty, Emperor Taizong personally led a northern expedition, but suffered a major defeat, leaving the Song-Liao border separated by the Juma River, thus forming the boundary river. Of the three key passes on the south bank, Yukou Pass and Yijin Pass were both located in Bazhou, while Waqiao Pass was in Xiongzhou, making these two prefectures crucial military strongholds. After Emperor Taizong's failed northern expedition, he dredged and expanded the border waterways from Nigu (present-day southeast of Tianjin) in the east to Baozhou (present-day Baoding, Hebei) in the west, connecting canals and ponds, and drawing the Hutuo River and Yongji River into this area. Dikes were built to store water, forming a water barrier zone 900 li east to west and 0 li deep, with a water depth of more than ten feet. Dikes were built outside the dikes, and 28 stockades and 25 outposts were set up along the dikes for defense, with more than 3,000 soldiers patrolling back and forth by boat in hundreds of vessels to delay and hinder the Liao cavalry, implementing a dedicated defensive strategy. After the Treaty of Chanyuan, Emperor Zhenzong of Song was determined to defend the borders, vigorously expanding the defenses of the city and planting extensive forests. During the Xiangfu era (008-000), three million elms and willows were planted along the border. After Yang Zhi and Lin Chong joined forces and entered Hebei, relying on Wang Huan's prestige and the threat of a large army, Binzhou, Cangzhou, and Bazhou quickly surrendered to the Song Dynasty. Yang Zhi then ordered Zhou Xin to lead troops to assist in the defense of Cangzhou, while Lin Chong and Qin Ming defended Bazhou. Afterwards, Yang Zhi, Wang Huan, and Zhang Qing's forces marched directly to Xiongzhou. The Xiongzhou garrison commander, Wu Dao, was a subordinate of Wang Huan, and upon hearing of Wang Huan's approach, he surrendered the city. Just as Yang Zhi was about to send reinforcements to the key passes of Xiongzhou, he learned that the prefect of Ansu Army to the west had surrendered to the Liao Dynasty, and Yelü Dezhong's 30,000 troops had already crossed the Juma River from there. Upon hearing the news, Yang Zhi hurriedly summoned Wang Huan, Zhang Qing, and Wu Dao, the garrison commander of Xiong Prefecture. The three were also shocked to learn that An Su's army had surrendered to the Liao Dynasty. Wang Huan worriedly said, "With this precedent, I fear other prefectures in the west will follow suit. Our only course of action now is to quickly defeat the Liao army to deter the other prefectures." Yang Zhi nodded, "General Wang is quite right. The southern prefectures of Hebei are also watching closely. If we don't defeat the Liao army with overwhelming force, they might march south and besiege the capital." Wu Dao, hearing this, worriedly said, "The Liao army has 30,000 troops. If our army engages them in open battle, even if we win, the casualties will be heavy. If the Liao army sends more troops, it will be difficult to resist." Yang Zhi said, "His Majesty has already led his troops north and should arrive in half a month. If the Liao Dynasty wants to send more troops, they will have to draw them from the prefectures north of Yanjing, which will take at least seven or eight days. We only need to hold out for a few days to receive His Majesty's reinforcements. General Wu, you only need to hold Xiong Prefecture firmly, and we..." "Go to Rongcheng to annihilate the enemy." Upon hearing this, Wu Dao hurriedly said, "General, your troops are exhausted from your long journey. I am willing to lead the vanguard." Yang Zhi said, "General, do not argue. Xiongzhou is our foundation. We are not familiar with the affairs of the city. If something happens to Xiongzhou, our army will be like a rootless duckweed. If you can defend the city, it will be a great achievement." Wang Huan also said, "My men are also elite troops from Hebei. You should defend the city first. It is not too late to send troops after His Majesty goes north." Seeing his old superior speak, Wu Dao could only nod and say, "Then I wish the army a great victory. Generals, rest assured, as long as I have a breath left, there will be no change in Xiongzhou." Yang Zhi nodded and immediately led the army to Rongcheng County. As soon as the army arrived in Rongcheng, the Liao army set up camp ten miles west of the city. The scouts reported the news from outside the city back to the city. Yang Zhi then summoned Wang Huan and Zhang Qing to discuss the matter. Upon their arrival, Yang Zhi spread out a map of Rongcheng and said, "The Liao army has already set up camp ten miles to the west. What good plans do you two have to defeat them?" Wang Huan looked at the map and said, "Rongcheng is situated on higher ground in the northwest. If we engage in open battle, the Liao cavalry will take advantage of the terrain and become even more unstoppable. The only way to defeat them now is to use artillery to catch them off guard." Yang Zhi nodded and said, "His Majesty has improved the cannons, and it's time for them to unleash their power. However, our cavalry must also be moved out of the city first to avoid startling the horses." Zhang Qing pointed to a high hill north of the city and said, "This place should be a good hiding spot for troops, but we still need to conduct an on-site inspection." Wang Huan said, "That is indeed a good place to ambush them. Let the three cavalry units leave the city tonight and lie in ambush. When they hear the cannon fire tomorrow, they will charge in." Yang Zhi said, "To completely crush this Liao army, we can have two cavalry units attack the Liao army's flanks, and one cavalry unit raid the Liao army's camp." The three agreed and ordered the three cavalry units to be gagged and their horses to have their bells removed, and they left the city that night. Early the next morning, Yelü Dezhong led his troops to challenge the enemy outside the city. The central force consisted of five thousand cavalry, their armor gleaming, their weapons like a forest. Although they lacked the ferocity of their ancestors, the fierceness of these ethnic minorities could not be completely eradicated by centuries of civilization. The infantry on both flanks were predominantly Han and Xi people, and by comparison, they were less fierce. Yang Zhi led his troops slowly out of the city and deployed them at the foot of the city walls. Yelü Dezhong was greatly surprised to see that the heavenly army had no cavalry and yet dared to come out to meet them. However, with the two armies facing each other, he had no time to think. He shouted, "Today is our nation's first battle in its southward advance! We must display our national spirit! Whoever takes the enemy general's head first will be rewarded with one hundred taels of gold and promoted three ranks. Who dares to step forward?" His lieutenant, Aliqi, hearing of such a generous reward, hurriedly volunteered, "This humble general is willing to fight!"

Yelü De saw that it was Aliqi again and knew of his amazing martial arts skills, so he nodded and ordered him to fight.

Aliqi spurred his horse into battle and shouted, "The South has no one, even bandits from the marshes can lead troops, who dares to oppose me?"

Wang Huan, having spent decades in Hebei, was familiar with some of the more famous barbarian generals. Seeing that it was Aliqi, he said, "This man has the courage of ten thousand men, we should send a top general to fight him."

Zhang Qing, young and impetuous, laughed and said, "Watch me take his dog's head, and let the Liao Kingdom know the heroes of our Celestial Dynasty." After saying that, he spurred his horse and rushed into battle. Seeing this,

Wang Huan couldn't help but shake his head inwardly. He was still young after all; even as a commander of ten thousand, he still loved to show off.

Aliqi saw a general come out and spurred his horse to meet him.

The two horses met, weapons drawn. The two generals fought for only a few rounds before Zhang Qing felt his strength failing and dared not fight any longer. He feigned an attack and fled back to his own lines. Aliqi, eager for promotion and wealth, was not about to let him escape. He immediately spurred his horse forward. Zhang Qing, hearing the approaching hoofbeats, reached into his brocade pouch, took a pebble, turned to face the barbarian general, and with a single pebble, struck Aliqi squarely in the left eye, sending him tumbling from his horse. Zhang Qing rode up to him and then stabbed the barbarian general in the throat

, killing him instantly. The heavenly soldiers cheered wildly at Zhang Qing's victory.

The barbarian general, Chu Mingyu, enraged by Aliqi's unjust death, charged at Zhang Qing without asking for orders.

Zhang Qing, seeing another general approaching, also rode to meet him.

Chu Mingyu assumed he was coming to fight, but Zhang Qing held another pebble in his hand. As Chu Mingyu drew near, about to raise his spear, Zhang Qing struck him in the nose with the pebble, sending him sprawling from his horse. As Chu Mingyu tried to rise, Zhang Qing stabbed him to death.

Yelü Zongyun, seeing two generals fall in quick succession, was furious and rode off to seek revenge.

Seeing his son go into battle, Yelü Dezhong feared he would fall victim to another ambush and was about to lead his troops in a charge.

Tianshan Yong, however, said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I'll teach this barbarian a lesson with my crossbow bolt!" Tianshan Yong was skilled on horseback with a lacquered crossbow, its iron-feathered arrows, about a foot long, called "a little oil."

Hearing this, Yelü Dezhong hurriedly said, "General, go quickly! If you can take this barbarian's life, the greatest credit for the southern campaign will belong to you."

Tianshan Yong took out his crossbow, nocked it, and charged out of the formation.

Seeing the two generals emerge, Zhang Qing first took a stone and threw it at Yelü Zongyun in front.

Yelü Zongyun was prepared and dodged it.

Zhang Qing took out another stone, about to throw it at Yelü Zongyun again, when he heard Wang Huan shout from behind the formation, "Watch out for the hidden arrow!" Hearing this, Zhang Qing also saw the crossbow bolt in Tianshan Yong's hand. He ducked into his stirrup, narrowly dodging the arrow, and before he could stand up, his stone flew out like lightning, striking Tianshan Yong squarely in the face.

Seeing this, Yelü Dezhong dared not delay any longer and spurred his horse to lead his army to attack.

When the Liao soldiers reached five hundred paces from the city, Yang Zhi raised his signal flag, and the artillerymen on the city walls began firing. A dozen cannons roared down upon the cavalry formation. The deafening cannon fire startled the warhorses in the center, causing them to circle in place, rear up and neigh, some even collapsing to the ground. As the rear cavalry scrambled to dodge, chaos ensued. Yelü Dezhong's horse was also startled and suddenly bolted forward, but fortunately, Yelü Dezhong's horsemanship was excellent, preventing him from falling.

There was no turning back now; although Yelü Dezhong sensed danger, he had no choice but to press on. Just three hundred paces from the Heavenly Army's formation, the Heavenly Army's signal flag moved again, and a dense rain of arrows swept in, followed by another scream.

He endured two more volleys of arrows before finally reaching the Heavenly Army's front. Yelü Dezhong was also hit by several arrows, but fortunately, he was wearing heavy armor, so the arrows didn't penetrate too deeply. Yelü Dezhong gritted his teeth, enduring the excruciating pain, and looked at the Heavenly Soldiers dozens of paces away, tightening his grip on his steel spear. Although the cannons today were incredibly powerful, Yelü Dezhong still believed he could break through the Heavenly Soldiers' ranks.

Yang Zhi saw that after three volleys of arrows, only a thousand or so Liao cavalrymen remained in the vanguard. Knowing victory was assured, he raised the signal flag again, and the archers hurled their javelins into the air. This was the last ranged weapon Zhang Yang had added for the archers.

Yelü Dezhong was startled to see the short spears whistling through the air. Short spears were different from arrows; if hit, one would surely fall from their horse. And the consequences of falling from a horse on the battlefield were something he dared not imagine.

Yelü Dezhong hurriedly swung his spear to deflect the swooping spears, barely avoiding the rain of spears, when he saw the Heavenly Soldiers charging in as well.

The second round of artillery bombardment from the city walls arrived just in time, throwing the Liao cavalry rear guard, who had just reined in their horses, into chaos once more. Simultaneously, the Heavenly Dynasty cavalry, lying in ambush to the northwest, appeared on the horizon.

Yang Zhi leaped into the fray, roared, and stabbed Yelü De to the ground. The remaining scattered cavalry were instantly swallowed by the black torrent.

The Liao infantry on the left flank, caught off guard by the cavalry's charge, could not withstand the Heavenly Army's onslaught. Seeing the vanguard of his central army annihilated and the rear in disarray, the commander, Yao'er Weikang, dared not fight any longer and led several hundred of his personal guards in retreat. Seeing this, the left flank quickly collapsed as well.

Yang Zhi then led his central army to attack the Liao right flank from the side.

The Liao right-wing commander, Cao Mingji, clashed with Wang Huan, and after less than thirty rounds, was unhorsed by Wang Huan's spear. The Liao soldiers, already intimidated by the sound of cannon fire, suffered a further blow to their morale upon the death of their commander. Caught between Yang Zhi's central army, they soon began to rout.

Meanwhile, Yao'er Weikang, the Liao's left-wing commander, had just escaped to the camp when hundreds of Heavenly Kingdom cavalry charged out. Yao'er Weikang dared not fight again and turned his horse northwest towards Yizhou.

Mu Hong, unable to pursue, could only lead his troops to intercept and kill the Liao infantry behind them.

Yang Zhi led his troops in pursuit all the way to the east bank of the Black Reed Embankment before sounding the retreat. The Liao soldiers, caught off guard, were unable to cross the river and were mostly captured.

In this battle, the Heavenly Army captured over 18,000 Liao soldiers, beheaded over 7,000, and only over 4,000 escaped to Yizhou in Liao. Of Yelü Dezhong's four sons, only one escaped; the other three were captured.

Upon hearing of the Liao army's crushing defeat, the prefect of Ansu fled to Liao with his family before Yang Zhi could lead an attack. Seeing the strength of the Celestial Empire's army, the western prefectures all submitted petitions of surrender.

Chapter Twenty-One: Misfortune never comes singly

. Just as Emperor Yelü Yanxi of Liao was anticipating news of victory on the southern front, Yizhou reported a major defeat for the western army, with its commander killed and less than four thousand of its thirty thousand troops escaping. The eastern army was also blocked by the Heavenly Army of Bazhou, and with the rainy season causing the river to swell, they were unable to cross.

Upon hearing of his brother's death, Yelü Yanxi was furious and immediately summoned his ministers for a consultation.

Upon hearing that the western army had been almost completely annihilated, Yelü Dashi asked doubtfully, "The southern army is supposed to be weak, how could they defeat our Liao's elite troops and almost wipe out our entire army?"

Yelü Yanxi replied, "The report says that the southern army invented a powerful cannon that startled our cavalry horses, which is why they were able to defeat the western army."

Yelü Dashi's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he said, "The Jin's strength lies in their cavalry. If that cannon can indeed startle horses, it can be used to defeat the Jin. Our country will then have no choice but to retreat south."

Yelü Yanxi, who had personally led an expedition but suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Jin, and who had always felt ashamed of this, said, "Your thoughts coincide with mine. What do you think?" "A good plan could obtain cannons from the Southern Kingdom?"

Yelü Dashi said, "Didn't the Western Xia and Tubo send troops a few days ago? Moreover, there must be many people in the Southern Kingdom who want to restore the Song Dynasty. Zhang Yang is facing enemies on several occasions, so he certainly won't dare to start a large-scale war with our country again. As long as Your Majesty mobilizes the troops from Tan, Shun, and Ji prefectures to go south and give the Xiong Prefecture troops a hard time, you can force them to submit and pay tribute. At that time, obtaining the cannon manufacturing method will be as easy as taking candy from a baby

." Yelü Yanxi also said upon hearing this, "The barbarians of Xiong Prefecture killed my imperial brother, so naturally we cannot let them off easily. This time, I will personally lead the expedition and kill those barbarians until they tremble with fear."

Yelü Dashi was startled upon hearing this.

While an emperor's personal campaign can certainly boost morale, and a wise and capable emperor can command his army with unparalleled skill, an incompetent emperor can be a hindrance. Especially since his own emperor is incompetent in military affairs yet loves to command troops, sending him to lead the campaign would be a minor matter of missing opportunities; the real danger would be if the Southern army turned the tables on him.

Thinking of this, he hurriedly said, "Zhang Yang of the Southern Dynasty is nothing but a usurper; why should Your Majesty personally lead the campaign? Besides, it's the height of summer; why should Your Majesty suffer the hardships of travel? Although I am unworthy, I am willing to lead the troops to force the Southern barbarians to surrender."

Xiao Fengxian, however, saw that Yelü Yanxi intended to lead the campaign personally and stepped forward, saying, "Da Shi Lin Ya is mistaken. Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, you have been diligent in governing and caring for the people, frequently traveling to investigate their conditions. How could you retreat because of the heat? Moreover, Your Majesty's personal campaign will demonstrate the might of a great nation and intimidate the Southern barbarians."

Yelü Yanxi loved hunting and, after ascending the throne, he greatly promoted the "Nabo" system (a hunting expedition). The Nabo system primarily refers to the hunting and excursion system centered on the Liao emperor, with hunting as its main activity. It had a certain influence on the Yuan, Jin, and Qing dynasties. The Qing dynasty's Mulan Autumn Hunt and Rehe Summer Resort were particularly profoundly influenced by the Liao Nabo culture.

Yelü Yanxi was especially passionate about the seasonal Nabo, often leading tens of thousands of troops on each expedition, spending a large portion of the year hunting.

When the ministers heard Xiao Fengxian describe the emperor's hunting as an investigation of the people's conditions, they secretly cursed.

Yelü Yanxi, however, nodded with satisfaction, feeling that Xiao Fengxian understood the emperor's intentions, and said, "Minister Xiao is quite right. No need for further discussion. I have decided to personally lead the southern expedition against Xiongzhou, ordering the eastern army to launch a strong attack on Bazhou, to teach the southern barbarians a lesson." Upon hearing this,

Yelü Dashi had no choice but to return to his ranks.

It was early May when Zhang Yang led his troops out of Tokyo. His soldiers had braved the scorching heat for over ten days, only to be stopped in Jizhou by a sudden downpour.

Looking at the raindrops the size of copper coins outside the window, Zhang Yang frowned deeply. Three days had passed, and there was still no sign of the sky clearing. Although Yang Zhi had decisively defeated the Liao army at Xiongzhou, the Liao army at Bazhou was now forcing a crossing regardless of casualties, clearly indicating that the Liao had not given up. Even more troublesome was the situation in the west. The Western Xia had divided their forces and invaded from Hedong and Yongxing respectively, while the Tubo had also launched an attack on Qinfeng Road. Even in Chengdu Prefecture, several prefectures were experiencing Miao rebellions. Huyan Zhuo and Guan Sheng's troops were stretched thin defending so many prefectures, forcing them to temporarily abandon many northern prefectures. Just as

Zhang Yang was racking his brains trying to find reinforcements for the western frontier, he heard hurried footsteps approaching. Turning around, he saw Ma Yi, the newly surrendered prefect of Jizhou.

Ma Yi had clearly just returned from outside the city; his shoes were covered in mud, and his raincoat was soaked through.

Seeing his anxious expression, Zhang Yang felt a pang of alarm, fearing some trouble had arisen.

Ma Yi removed his straw hat and was about to bow when Zhang Yang said, "My dear minister, no need for formalities. Why did you leave the city on such a rainy day?"

Ma Yi replied, "I also wished to rest at home, but the people outside the city reported that the river had risen rapidly and was about to overflow its banks. I had no choice but to come out to investigate."

Zhang Yang was startled and asked, "What is the current situation?"

Ma Yi worriedly replied, "The river is already level with the banks. If the rain doesn't stop, it won't be long before it overflows."

Zhang Yang quickly said, "The sky is overcast; the rain is unlikely to stop. If the river overflows, the disaster will be immense. You must quickly evacuate the people along the river to the city."

Ma Yi said, "I agree, but the people on both banks..." "There are too many people; I'm afraid we can't move them all into the city in a short time."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang hurriedly said, "Bring some people familiar with the terrain. I will personally lead the army with you to relocate the people."

Ma Yi, upon hearing this, was filled with fear and said, "Your Majesty is of inestimable health. If anything were to happen to you, the world would likely descend into even greater chaos. I humbly request that Your Majesty rest in the city, and I will lead the troops myself."

Zhang Yang took the map of Ji Province that Ma Yi had just presented to him, glanced at it, and said, "No need for further words. Quickly go and gather a few people familiar with the terrain and have them guide our army. We will divide our forces into several groups and move all the people from these villages on the riverbank into the city."

After saying this, he took a straw raincoat from the wall and went to gather his troops.

Seeing this, Ma Yi dared not delay and hurriedly went to find some officials familiar with the terrain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please vote! I'll update another chapter tonight.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Love in the Rain.

The sky seemed to have been suddenly pierced, with tears the size of copper coins constantly falling. The only sound in the world seemed to be the raindrops hitting the puddles. Three days of torrential rain had caused everything to droop its head, prostrate on the ground, hiding from the wrath of the heavens, or perhaps begging for forgiveness.

The official road had become muddy and impassable, without a single footprint. Merchants and travelers hid indoors, praying for clear skies.

A small village nestled on the banks of the Yellow River was enveloped by the roar of the water. Dozens of thatched houses swayed precariously under the onslaught of the rain.

Old Man Li stood at the door, looking at the relentless rain outside, and shook his head, saying, "It's been many years since I've seen such heavy rain. I'm afraid the river is going to burst its banks again." His

young grandson, listening to the roar of the river behind the village, also turned pale. Hearing this, the grandson said, "Grandpa, let's go quickly."

Old Man Li sighed, "Where can we go? Home can still shelter us from the wind and rain for a while, but if we leave, we'll probably starve and freeze to death in a few days."

His daughter-in-law, who had just come out of the outer room, was also heartbroken upon hearing this, but remembering that the grain in the jar was almost gone, she could only say, "Father, we're almost out of grain too. The crops in the fields are probably ruined by the water; we probably won't make it through this winter."

Hearing this, Old Man Li couldn't help but shudder, stroking his grandson's head, two lines of tears streaming down his face. He slid down silently, sighing, "Heaven has struck us so hard! Bao'er is so young, and you've already taken our lives away."

His daughter-in-law, thinking of her child's impending death, also had tears in her eyes, but still held onto a sliver of hope, saying, "Lord Ma of the prefecture loves the people like his own children; he'll surely save us."

Old Man Li said, "I heard the emperor in Tokyo has changed; Lord Ma probably won't be able to stay here much longer."

As they were talking, they heard Bao'er shout, "Grandpa, look! A lot of people are coming from outside the village!"

Old Man Li was startled; in this heavy rain, where would so many people come from? But he knew his grandson wouldn't lie, so he wiped away his tears and looked towards the village entrance. Sure enough, he saw many people wearing raincoats braving the rain.

After entering the village, the group split up and went to different houses. In the blink of an eye, five or six people arrived at Old Man Li's door.

Old Man Li then recognized one of the men as the prefect. He quickly pulled his grandson and daughter-in-law to kneel and kowtow, saying, "Greetings

, Your Excellency." Ma Yi hurriedly said, "His Majesty has arrived! Quickly pay your respects."

Old Man Li was taken aback. Seeing a young man in front of Ma Yi, he didn't know who this emperor was, but he also knew it wasn't his business. Just as he was about to kowtow, Zhang Yang helped him up, saying, "Old man, please get up."

Old Man Li, helped up by Zhang Yang, dared not look Zhang Yang in the eye and didn't know what to say, so he simply lowered his head and looked at the ground.

Seeing that he was still blocking everyone outside the door, Ma Yi hurriedly whispered, "Why aren't you letting His Majesty in?"

Old Man Li was startled upon hearing this. He pulled his grandson aside and was about to kneel again.

Zhang Yang entered the room and helped the two men up, saying, "Old man, there's no need for such formalities. I've come to invite you to the prefecture for refuge."

Hearing that the emperor had personally come to save him, Old Man Li choked up and said, "This humble subject thanks Your Majesty for your grace." He knelt down again.

Zhang Yang helped him up and said, "Old man, no need for formalities. Hurry up and pack your things, let's go to the prefecture."

Upon hearing this, Old Man Li hurriedly replied, "This humble subject will go pack right away."

Zhang Yang watched as Old Man Li and his daughter-in-law hurriedly entered the inner room, finally having time to look around the outer room. One glance was enough for Zhang Yang to understand what "utter poverty" meant; the thatched roof was leaking in several places.

Seeing the child curiously watching everyone from the corner, Zhang Yang asked, "What's your name?"

Seeing Zhang Yang's gentle expression, Bao'er wasn't intimidated and replied, "My name is Bao'er."

Noticing the age difference between the man and woman, Zhang Yang knew they weren't a couple, and asked again, "Where's your father?"

Bao'er said, "Father went to Jiangnan to buy goods. He's been gone for several years. Grandpa said he'll be back soon."

Hearing this, Zhang Yang was taken aback. In previous years, many who went to Jiangnan had been captured and forced to haul the precious stones, thousands dying on the riverbanks. This child's father had likely also met with misfortune; otherwise, he should have returned long ago. The grandfather's words were probably just to comfort his grandson.

For a moment, Zhang Yang didn't know what to say to the child. He could only say to Ma Yi beside him, "Take care of them from now on."

Ma Yi, upon hearing this, hurriedly replied, "Yes, Your Majesty. However, I'm afraid there will be no harvest this year, and the prefecture doesn't have much money or grain."

Zhang Yang nodded and said, "I will order the Ministry of Revenue to investigate the disaster situation in various places and allocate money and grain. But you must be serious about disaster relief and not let lower-level officials steal the people's life-saving money."

Seeing that the new emperor loved the people, Ma Yi also said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will personally supervise this matter and ensure that the court's money and grain are distributed to the people. However, I heard that Your Majesty has not touched the land of those wealthy families. Currently, the land is concentrated in the hands of the wealthy families. The people receiving the court's money and grain is only a temporary relief. Only by distributing their own land can the people truly become prosperous."

Although Ma Yi had been diligent in his duties and loved the people in the past, seeing the emperor's incompetence, he dared not say much. It is truly a case of a wise ruler producing virtuous ministers, and a foolish ruler producing treacherous ministers.

Seeing that he dared to speak out, Zhang Yang smiled and said, "You only need to ensure their temporary safety, and I will find them land. You are upright and outspoken, and I should promote you, but now that Jizhou is in trouble, I will have to leave you here to provide disaster relief. You will be appointed to an official position in the capital later. You should follow the example of Wei Zheng and report more about the local situation so that I can understand the needs of the people and govern the country."

Hearing that the new emperor wanted to give him an important position, Ma Yi knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I will certainly live up to your trust. Your Majesty's willingness to open up channels for advice is truly a blessing for the people."

Zhang Yang helped Ma Yi up and said, "To achieve great order in the world, we need all of you to work together."

As the two were talking, Old Man Li came out with two bundles. Seeing that there was only a straw raincoat in the house, Zhang Yang took off his own and handed it to Old Man Li, saying, "Old man, put on your clothes, let's go."

Old Man Li dared not take it.

Seeing this, Ma Yi hurriedly went to untie his raincoat, saying, "Your Majesty is of noble birth; how can you walk in the rain? Let him wear my raincoat."

Zhang Yang pressed Ma Yi down, saying, "I am strong and healthy. You have already been traveling for half a day; don't try to take it from me." He then draped the raincoat over the old man, squatted down, and carried him outside.

Old Man Li stood there blankly as Zhang Yang fastened his raincoat. Only after Zhang Yang carried him did he come to his senses and struggle to get down. Several guards also stepped forward to help Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang walked briskly, saying, "Old man, don't move. I can still carry you." He then said to the guards, "Go and help the children and women."

Hearing this, the guards had no choice but to go back and carry the children and women.

Watching the emperor trudging through the mud, Old Man Li's tears streamed down his face again. He sighed, "I've lived my whole life and never heard of such a good emperor. If only you had become emperor sooner, my son would have come back."

Zhang Yang, hearing the old man's lament, felt a pang of sorrow. In ancient times, the happiness of the world truly rested on the shoulders of one person. What the common people longed for was nothing more than to have enough to eat and wear, and to be reunited with their families. Yet, throughout history, after a brief period of prosperity, natural disasters and man-made calamities would once again ravage the land. He could guarantee decades or even centuries of enlightened rule, but he couldn't guarantee that his descendants would treat the people well. Perhaps only a good political system could ensure the long-term well-being of the people.

As Zhang Yang pondered this, he strode briskly into the city, oblivious to the increasing number of soldiers and civilians around him.

Many soldiers, seeing Zhang Yang carrying someone on his back, were immensely proud to be following such an emperor. The common people, hearing that the person ahead was the emperor, exclaimed in amazement. Had Ma Yi not stopped them, they would likely have already knelt down in gratitude.

Upon arriving in the city, Zhang Yang ordered the people to be housed in the government offices and military camps. However, with so many people, even after Zhang Yang gave up his own residence, many still had nowhere to go. Seeing this, Ma Yi hurriedly led his men to ask the people for help from house to house. Hearing that even the emperor had given up his residence, the people were moved and readily took in the relocated residents.

Although the heavy rain had not stopped, Jizhou was filled with warmth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This book is currently in an awkward position; it needs 700 more collections before the editor can arrange a recommendation. If you have any secondary accounts, please collect it; any help in advertising would be greatly appreciated.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Disaster Relief Heading North

No matter how much people prayed, the Yellow River succumbed to the tyranny of heaven and breached its banks again, instantly submerging dozens of villages in the raging floodwaters. Fortunately, Zhang Yang acted quickly, and all the villagers had already moved into Jizhou.

Five days later, the rain finally began to subside.

Xu Guanzhong looked at the gradually decreasing rain outside the window and said worriedly, "This heavy rain will probably destroy many roads, and the marching speed will likely be greatly affected."

Zhang Yang said helplessly, "Yes, I'm afraid we won't be able to travel many miles a day if we set off now. Moreover, the disaster victims in the city still need to be resettled, so let's lead the majority of our troops here to help the disaster victims build houses. Let Wu Song lead my personal troops north first, and we'll set off again when the weather clears up."

Xu Guanzhong said, "Those Imperial Guards of Tokyo are indeed not good at marching on muddy ground.

Your Majesty needs to train new recruits as soon as possible." Zhang Yang also wanted to train a devilish army, but he didn't have the conditions in the past, and now he doesn't have the time. Hearing this, he said, "After we defeat the Liao and Western Xia, I will personally train an iron-blooded army. At that time, all those Yuyang Iron Cavalry, Iron Falcons, and Jurchen Heavy Cavalry will be sharpened for me."

Xu Guanzhong was overjoyed to hear Zhang Yang's ambition. His expertise lay in military strategy, and only under an ambitious emperor could he truly demonstrate his talents. What's even more remarkable is that the new emperor favors only those with martial prowess, so he doesn't have to worry about being forced to retire after achieving his goals.

As soon as the rain stopped, Wu Song led his four thousand personal guards out of the city.

Zhang Yang, on the other hand, went outside the city to survey the terrain. After circling around, he had no choice but to return to the city. Although the rain had stopped, all the open spaces were now muddy puddles; new houses could only be built after the land dried.

Zhang Yang arrived at the government office, only to find it surrounded by the people.

They had heard that the new emperor had braved the rain to save lives and had come to pay their respects. Although most of them didn't know which dynasty the new emperor belonged to, they believed that as long as he was a benevolent ruler, he would gain their support.

Seeing Zhang Yang in his yellow robes approaching, the people on the outskirts knelt on the flooded ground to pay their respects.

Zhang Yang hurriedly called out, "Fellow citizens, please dispense with the formalities." He then stepped forward to help the first few people up, saying, "The floodwaters haven't completely receded; there's no need for such grand ceremony."

During Emperor Huizong's reign, treacherous officials held power, official conduct was corrupt, and local officials acted arrogantly, causing the people to fear them like tigers. Seeing the new emperor speaking to them so kindly, the first few people were moved to tears.

Zhang Yang knew the people's needs were simple, and said loudly, "Fellow citizens, rest assured, grain from Dongjing will arrive soon. Even if there's no harvest, I will ensure you have enough to eat. However, the Liao Kingdom in the north has come to plunder again, so I can only build you some thatched huts for now. But I will allocate funds, and Prefect Ma will lead you to rebuild your homes. Once the world is at peace, I will come to see you again."

Hearing this, the people were deeply moved. An old man pushed through the crowd and stepped in front of Zhang Yang, saying, "Your Majesty, please lead the troops north to repel the Liao army. The people in the north have been oppressed by the Liao for hundreds of years. Finally, a good emperor has emerged. Your Majesty should let them see hope as soon as

possible. With Lord Ma here, we are not afraid that anyone will embezzle Your Majesty's disaster relief funds." Zhang Yang had already inquired about Ma Yi's past deeds. Although the taxes under his rule in the Song Dynasty were quite heavy, he was an honest official who did not impose any additional burden on the people beyond the prescribed taxes. Therefore, he was very famous in Hebei. Zong Ze's actions were no more than that. Under the political circumstances at the time, this was all they could do.

Zhang Yang also believed that as long as they were given a chance to demonstrate their abilities, they could all become renowned ministers.

Zhang Yang helped the old man up and said, "Don't worry, old man. I have already sent troops north. They can temporarily hold off the Liao army. How can I go north with peace of mind if I don't see you all living in peace?"

The people were even more moved by these words.

Ma Yi, having heard the commotion, rushed over and pushed through the crowd, saying, "His Majesty has prepared ginger for everyone. Go east to collect it, and when you get home, make soup to ward off the cold."

Zhang Yang, also with many matters to attend to, followed suit, urging the people to collect the ginger.

The people reluctantly headed east.

Upon returning to the prefectural capital with Ma Yi, Zhang Yang said, "Today I see there is still a lot of water in the city. It should be drained as soon as possible. We also need to sprinkle lime throughout the city to prevent another outbreak."

Ma Yi replied, "I have already made preparations, but the treasury is insufficient, making it difficult to complete everything in a short time."

Zhang Yang said, "You can borrow some money and grain from wealthy households in the city in my name. You can repay them once the funds from the capital arrive."

Ma Yi said, "There are still some wealthy families in the city who harm the people; perhaps we should use their money for disaster relief first."

Zhang Yang nodded and said, "Very well, but the people's hearts are still unsettled after the great disaster. We must not act too hastily. You should choose a few notorious villains to execute, and pardon the rest who can be pardoned."

In the past, several powerful families in the city, relying on their connections in the court, often oppressed the people, and Ma Yi could only try to accommodate them. Hearing this, he smiled and said, "Your Majesty is merciful, I will certainly do it in a way that will make the people applaud."

After Ma Yi executed several villains who harmed the people, the people indeed applauded, and the other powerful families also donated money and grain for disaster relief.

After the heavy rain, the scorching sun showed its power again. Within two days, several high grounds outside the city were completely dry. Zhang Yang personally led his soldiers to build thatched huts, and the people also came out to add bricks and tiles. With tens of thousands of people working, the problem of accommodation for the disaster victims was solved in one day.

Early the next morning, just as Zhang Yang was about to lead his troops, he found that the people had already surrounded the camp. After Zhang Yang repeatedly declined, the people still escorted the army for several miles before stopping.

Looking at the people behind him who were still unwilling to return to the city, Xu Guanzhong couldn't help but laugh, "In a few days, His Majesty's benevolent actions will spread throughout Hebei. Once the people are convinced, Hebei will be pacified. The Liao Kingdom's northern border is under pressure and won't be able to hold out for long."

Zhang Yang said, "Although Hebei is pacified, the situation in the northwest is chaotic. Due to the Tibetan invasion and the Western Xia's capture of Lanzhou, Zhong Shidao had to retreat to Gongzhou. The situation in Hedong is even worse. After the prefect of Jinning died in battle, the remnants of Tian Hu's troops in several counties of Taiyuan surrendered to the Western Xia. Guan Sheng had no choice but to retreat to Jinzhou. If we cannot quickly defeat the Liao army, I'm afraid several prefectures in the northeast of Hedong will also..." "They will surrender to Western Xia."

Upon hearing this, Xu Guanzhong exclaimed in surprise, "Then what is the situation in Tokyo?"

Zhang Yang replied, "Tokyo has 50,000 troops stationed there, and there are strong fortified cities to defend, so there shouldn't be any major problems. However, some of Lin Chong's troops in the north have also suffered heavy casualties, but fortunately, the heavy rains these past few days have prevented the Liao troops from crossing the river. However, the Liao emperor has led 50,000 troops to personally lead an expedition against Xiongzhou, and I must also rush there to assist him. You can lead the main army to follow, and I will first ride my eagle directly to Xiongzhou."

Upon hearing this, Xu Guanzhong hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will definitely lead my troops there as soon as possible."

Zhang Yang gave him a few more instructions and then rode his eagle towards Xiongzhou.

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Giant and the Precious Horse

Zhang Yang flew north on his eagle for half a day before suddenly realizing that he did not recognize Xiongzhou. Thinking of this, he signaled the giant eagle to lower itself. Just as he was looking for a place to land, he saw a group of henchmen fighting around a man on the official road below. Zhang Yang glanced at them briefly and was immediately attracted by the fine horse riding by the man in the middle.

The horse was pure white, without a single blemish, and even from the air, it appeared exceptionally magnificent. Although Zhang Yang had acquired many fine horses at the Four Horses Stable in Dongjing, none were as splendid as this. He

was immediately captivated and signaled the giant eagle to fly over the official road, shouting, "In broad daylight, how dare you block the road and rob people?"

Before his words had even finished, he had already leaped down.

The henchmen, seeing three giant eagles circling overhead and a man swooping down from several meters high, were terrified. They tried to flee, but Zhang Yang kicked several of them to the ground. The rest, seeing this, dared not run any further and knelt down, begging for mercy.

The besieged man dismounted and knelt, saying, "Thank you for your help, young master.

Otherwise, my life would have been in danger." Zhang Yang noticed that the man had red hair and a yellow beard, unlike someone from the Central Plains, but spoke with a northern accent. He asked curiously, "It was nothing, just a small favor. Judging from your accent, you seem to be from the Yanjing area. Why are you traveling south alone?"

The man who had been rescued saw Zhang Yang's imposing presence and knew he was no ordinary person who had saved his life. He then truthfully replied, "My surname is Duan, and my given name is Jingzhu. People call me 'Golden-haired Dog' because of my red hair and yellow beard. My ancestral home is Zhuozhou. I have made my living by stealing horses in the north. This spring, I went to the north of Qianggan Ridge and stole this precious horse, which can travel a day..." "A thousand miles away, in the north, there is a famous horse called 'The Jade Lion Horse That Shines at Night,' which was once ridden by the Prince of the Great Jin Dynasty. It was stolen by a lowly man. Although I am rough and clumsy, I have heard that a fine horse is worthy of a hero, and therefore I refuse to sell it to a powerful person. Recently, I heard that a new emperor has been appointed in Tokyo. The new emperor is exceptionally skilled in martial arts and widely benevolent, so I have come south alone, wishing to provide this fine horse for a hero." Upon

hearing this, Zhang Yang laughed and said, "You are indeed a man who loves horses. It would be impolite of me to refuse."

Duan Jingzhu, upon hearing this, exclaimed in surprise, "Could it be that my benefactor is truly the new emperor of Tokyo?"

Zhang Yang laughed and said, "A true man does not change his name or surname. How could I possibly use someone else's name?"

Seeing that Zhang Yang was dressed in plain yellow clothes, Duan Jingzhu had no further doubts and bowed again to pay his respects.

Zhang Yang helped Duan Jingzhu up and said, "Righteous sir, please excuse the formalities. Since you come from the north, you must know how far this place is from Xiong Prefecture."

Duan Jingzhu replied, "Fifty or sixty li. Is Your Majesty going to resist the Liao army?"

Zhang Yang nodded and said, "Indeed, right sir. You can guide me there. After we defeat the Liao army, I will reward you handsomely for bringing the horse a thousand li away."

As the two were talking, they saw dozens of people running down a mountain beside the official road. The one in the lead was over eight feet tall (one Song foot was about thirty centimeters), yet he did not slow down at all, which was quite strange.

In the blink of an eye, the man had reached the group. Seeing his henchmen kneeling on the ground, he said in a rough voice, "You useless people, get out of here!"

The henchmen dared not move when Zhang Yang did not speak.

Seeing this, the giant was enraged and was about to attack when a young man shouted, "How dare you be so insolent before me!"

The giant, startled, asked, "Who are you, daring to call yourself 'I'?"

Zhang Yang replied, "I am the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty. Since you are a江湖人 (jianghu person, a person of the martial arts world), you must have heard of my name."

The giant said, "I've only heard that the new emperor is incredibly powerful. How dare you, with your physique, impersonate the new emperor?"

Zhang Yang laughed, "Then, in your opinion, what kind of physique should the new emperor have?"

The giant scratched his head and said, "I don't know, but I've heard that the new emperor once captured Guan Sheng, the Great Saber, in a single exchange. I imagine he shouldn't be a scholar like you."

Zhang Yang laughed, "If you don't know what he should look like, how do you know I'm an imposter?"

Upon hearing this, the giant was taken aback. He scratched his head, thought for a moment, and then had an idea. He planted his iron bar in the ground, snatched two spears from the henchmen, joined them together, and shouted, "Break!" The two spear shafts snapped in response.

Seeing the man's incredible strength, Zhang Yang shouted, "What strength!"

The giant, pleased, threw down his short spear and said, "If you can also break two spears, I will believe you are the new emperor."

Zhang Yang, impressed by the man's imposing presence and wanting to recruit him as his standard-bearer, noticed the giant wielding a massive iron bar. He swiftly snatched the bar from Zhang Yang.

Startled by Zhang Yang's ghostly approach, the giant retreated, only stopping when Zhang Yang vanished back to his original position. But Zhang Yang had already snatched the iron rod from the giant man. The rod was as thick as a normal man's forearm and weighed over a hundred pounds. Seeing Zhang Yang lift it so easily, the giant exclaimed, "What strength!"

Zhang Yang smiled, said nothing, gripped the rod with both hands, and exhaled. The fist-thick rod slowly bent.

Seeing this astonishing sight, the giant man knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly.

Zhang Yang tossed aside the iron bar, now shaped like a V, and helped the giant to his feet, saying, "Brave warrior, I can now believe I am the true Son of Heaven."

The giant hurriedly replied, "Such divine strength is indeed beyond the reach of ordinary people. Please forgive my offense, Your Majesty."

Zhang Yang said, "Ignorance is no excuse. I see you have an impressive physique, brave warrior. Would you be willing to serve as my standard-bearer?"

The giant replied, "I am honored by Your Majesty's favor. I am willing to serve you faithfully."

Zhang Yang, thinking of having such a burly man as his standard-bearer on the battlefield in the future, was overjoyed and laughed, "I still do not know where you are from."

The giant saw Zhang Yang lower his head ... Upon inquiry, he hurriedly replied, "I am a local from Mozhou, surnamed Yu, named Beng. Because I often rob people here, my friends in the martial world have given me the nickname 'God of the Perilous Path.'"

Seeing that it was already noon, Zhang Yang said, "Let's go to the mountain stronghold for some food and drink. You can also ask the stronghold's henchmen; those willing to join the army, we'll travel together; those unwilling, we'll pay and send them away."

The henchmen, having just witnessed Zhang Yang's divine power, all said, "We are willing to be Your Majesty's vanguard."

Hearing this, Zhang Yang encouraged them, and they all went to the stronghold. After lunch, they packed up their money and provisions and led their men towards Xiongzhou.

(Chapter
25: Another Battle Against the Liao Army)

In the afternoon, Zhang Yang led his men towards Xiongzhou. By the time they reached the south gate of Xiongzhou, night had fallen. Under the starlight, they saw dense banners on the city walls and heard the loud drums of the city.

Duan Jingzhu shouted from below the city walls, "The Emperor has arrived! Quickly, have the Prefect come out to greet him!"

Wu Song's personal guards had just arrived in Xiongzhou. Hearing this, the soldiers guarding the city, though seeing the disorganized state of the troops below, dared not be negligent and shouted, "Please wait a moment, we will go and fetch the Prefect."

Wu Dao, having heard the report but not having seen Zhang Yang before, had no choice but to invite Wu Song to join him on the city wall. Soldiers carried several torches, illuminating the area. Wu Song saw Zhang Yang below and hurriedly said, "It is indeed His Majesty! Quickly open

the city gates to welcome him." Upon hearing this, Wu Dao quickly led the others to open the city gates.

After exchanging greetings, Zhang Yang, Wu Dao, and Wu Song went straight to the prefectural government office. After the three were seated, Zhang Yang asked, "Have the Liao troops attacked yet?"

Wu Dao replied, "The Liao emperor is personally leading the campaign this time, and the heavy rains have slowed their advance. They only arrived at Ansu Army yesterday and haven't yet attacked the city."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang breathed a sigh of relief and laughed, "Yelü Yanxi was defeated by 20,000 Jin troops with 700,000 men at Hubudagang. I didn't expect him to still dare to lead troops into battle. This time, I might have to let him go."

Upon hearing this, Wu Dao hurriedly said, "I've heard that the northwest front is in dire straits. If Your Majesty lets Yelü Yanxi go, I'm afraid the Liao will launch a full-scale attack, and our army will likely be bogged down here." "I believe that the best course of action this time is to repel the Liao army. As long as the Liao dare not attack in the short term, our dynasty can concentrate its efforts on destroying the Western Xia and pacifying the country. Once the country is stable, it will not be too late

for Your Majesty to expand the territory." Zhang Yang was only joking, but he did not expect Wu Dao to say so much. However, Zhang Yang did not expect him to have such strategic vision. He laughed and said, "I was just joking. My strategic goal is to first repel the Liao, let them resist the rising Jin in the north, and then I will sweep across the north when I have the opportunity."

Wu Dao breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, but he was also somewhat disappointed.

Zhang Yang noticed Wu Dao's expression and smiled, "You needn't worry about having no opportunity to use your talents. In less than a year, I will lead troops north again, and you will be the vanguard."

Wu Dao was overjoyed and knelt down, saying, "Your subject will certainly prepare for battle and be ready to serve the country at any time."

Zhang Yang encouraged Wu Dao further, and seeing that it was getting late, Wu Dao took his leave.

The next day, Zhang Yang led his personal guards and Yu Beng's men to Ansu Army.

On the same morning, outside Ansu Army, the two armies faced each other from afar.

To the north, the Liao army of 50,000 men was arrayed in neat formations, with 10,000 elite cavalry in the center. Under the yellow canopy of the central formation stood the Liao Emperor Yelü Yanxi and a group of civil and military officials.

The Heavenly Army, arrayed near the city, although outnumbered, had extremely high morale. Behind the gleaming weapons, every pair of eyes was filled with fighting spirit.

Yelü Yanxi had initially thought the Heavenly Army was nothing more than bandits from Liangshan, but seeing their well-equipped armor and tight formation, he immediately thought of the Jin army's strength. He recalled the crushing defeat of 700,000 troops at the Battle of Hubudagang, and how his own forces numbered only 50,000. His initial fighting spirit vanished instantly.

Only then did he remember Yelü Dashi's suggestion, but it was too late. He could only steel himself and ask Yelü Dashi, "How do you think my army should be deployed?"

Yelü Dashi saw the fear in Yelü Yanxi's eyes. Although he inwardly shook his head, for the sake of the nation, he had to say, "The Southern troops are currently in high spirits. I believe we should first send brave generals to challenge them, to demoralize them. If we can make them afraid to fight, we can negotiate peace. If the Southern troops turn away and charge, our army will be spared the artillery fire from the city walls."

Yelü Yanxi nodded, saying, "Your words..." "Indeed, which brave general is willing to lead the charge?"

Yao'er Weikang, who was about to avenge his previous defeat, stepped forward and said, "This humble general is willing to lead the charge."

Yelü Yanxi, seeing that Yao'er Weikang was an unfamiliar face, asked, "What is your rank?"

Yao'er Weikang replied, "This humble general is the commander of Zhuozhou."

Yelü Yanxi angrily said, "How dare a defeated general claim to be brave? If you are allowed to go into battle, wouldn't the Southern soldiers laugh at our Great Liao for having no one to fight? You shall step back now, and we will hold you accountable for your defeat later."

Upon hearing this, Yao'er Weikang was filled with shame. Although he withdrew as instructed, he harbored resentment towards Yelü Yanxi.

Seeing Yao'er Weikang retreat, Qiong Yao Nayan stepped forward again, saying, "This humble general is willing to lead the charge."

Xiao Fengxian, who was related to Qiong Yao Nayan by marriage, said, "General Qiong Yao is a valiant general from Yanjing, worthy of great responsibility."

Yelü Yanxi nodded upon hearing this, saying, "Then send you to battle; victory is assured, defeat is not an option."

Qiong Yao Nayan received the imperial decree, spurred his horse to the front of the formation, and shouted, "The Emperor of the Great Liao has personally arrived! Instead of surrendering, you lead your troops to resist; are you not like a mantis trying to stop a chariot?"

The generals in front of the Heavenly Army were all angry upon hearing this. Mu Hong rode up to Yang Zhi and said, "This barbarian general is rude; this humble general is willing to capture him."

Yang Zhi nodded and said, "Be careful in your response."

Mu Hong spurred his horse forward and shouted, "Barbarian general, stop your rudeness! I'll take your dog's life!"

Seeing Mu Hong's insolence, Qiong Yao Nayan also spurred his horse to meet him.

As the two horses crossed paths, swords and spears were drawn, and they clashed fiercely.

As the metal clashed, Mu Hong felt a sharp pain in his hand, his steel sword nearly slipping from his grasp. Knowing his opponent was stronger than him, he dared not fight any longer. After a few dozen exchanges, Mu Hong was finding it difficult to hold his own. He pushed aside Qiong Yao Nayan's steel spear and fled back to his own lines. Qiong Yao

Nayan pursued him. Zhang Qing, who had already ridden to the front lines when he saw Mu Hong struggling, also rode to meet Qiong Yao Nayan.

Yao Er Wei Kang, seeing Zhang Qing, was about to warn him, but remembering his earlier humiliation, he quietly retreated back into the ranks.

Qiong Yao Nayan, thinking Zhang Qing was coming to fight, was caught off guard when Zhang Qing struck him squarely in the nose with a stone. Caught off guard by the pain, he lost his balance and fell from his horse.

Zhang Qing caught up and struck him in the throat with his spear.

Seeing this, Yelü Yanxi was furious and shouted, "The southern general is cunning! Who will capture this man?"

Qiong Yaonayan's superior, Kou Zhenyuan, was also enraged to see his subordinate ambushed. He immediately requested orders and rode off to capture Zhang Qing.

Seeing Kou Zhenyuan's fierce approach, Zhang Qing threw another stone. Kou Zhenyuan dodged it, and Zhang Qing threw another stone, which Kou Zhenyuan deflected with his spear. Seeing that the stones missed, Zhang Qing became somewhat fearful. He fought ten or so times with his spear, but his spear technique became scattered, and he dared not fight any longer, turning his horse to flee.

Fearing another stone ambush, Kou Zhenyuan immediately stopped, drew his bow with his left hand, took an arrow with his right, nocked it, and pulled the bowstring taut. Aiming for Zhang Qing's back, he struck the breastplate with a sharp clang, leaving a dent.

Hearing the sound, Zhang Qing dared not turn back to fight again and rode back to his own lines.

Seeing that he had lost another general, Wang Huan spurred his horse out to provide support.

Kou Zhenyuan, seeing an old general with white hair emerge, laughed, "Is the South lacking in talent, sending an old man into battle?"

Wang Huan, enraged, shouted, "You young brat, haven't you heard of the name of General Wang Huan?"

Kou Zhenyuan, recognizing the renowned general with decades of experience, dared not be careless. He sheathed his bow and arrows and charged at Wang Huan with his spear.

The two fought fiercely for over fifty rounds before Kou Zhenyuan began to tire. Seeing Wang Huan's undiminished strength, he spurred his horse and fled to the flank.

Wang Huan, having witnessed Kou Zhenyuan's superior archery skills, did not pursue. Instead, he reined in his horse and shouted, "Barbarians of Liao, dare you fight again?"

Kou Zhenyuan, who had intended to win with his bow and arrows, saw that Wang Huan had seen through his plan and dared not fight further, returning to his own lines.

Yelü Yanxi was furious when he saw Kou Zhenyuan escape back. He shouted, "Guards! Drag this disgraced general away and execute him!"

Yelü Dashi hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, please calm down. If you were to execute your general on the battlefield, the Southern soldiers would laugh at you. It would be better to retreat and hold your ground. The Southern army is beset by internal and external troubles and will not dare to confront our country for long. They will likely send someone to sue for peace. Subduing the enemy without fighting is the best strategy. Your Majesty, please reconsider."

Yelü Yanxi, seeing that his general could not defeat the Southern soldiers, was also discouraged and nodded in agreement to retreat.

Yang Zhi saw the Liao soldiers retreat but did not pursue them.

Chapter Twenty-Six: On the Verge of Conflict

That night, Zhang Yang led his troops into Ansu Army. Yang Zhi, Wang Huan, and Zhang Qing had already prepared a banquet and were waiting. After everyone had eaten, Zhang Yang said, "Brother, tell me about the current situation."

Yang Zhi was secretly moved that Zhang Yang still addressed him as "brother," and quickly replied, "Your Majesty has already ascended the throne; how can you still address your subject as 'brother'?"

Zhang Yang smiled and said, "Although I have ascended the throne, our brotherly bond remains unchanged. I have decided to bestow upon you the title of Prince of Dingbei. There's no need for further formalities; just tell me about the current situation."

Yang Zhi was overjoyed to hear that he had been granted the title of Prince of Dingbei. His ancestors had resisted the Liao for generations, yet none of them had been granted a title. He never imagined that he could finally fulfill the long-cherished wish of his ancestors. After a moment of stunned silence, he said, "Yesterday, the Liao Emperor Yelü Yanxi led 50,000 troops south. Today, he challenged them to battle outside the city, but after Zhang Qing and Wang Huan defeated the two generals, he withdrew on his own. Since then, there have been no further troop movements.

" Yang nodded upon hearing this, saying, "Perhaps some in Liao have seen through our situation and are preparing to defend to the death. Tomorrow I will personally lead a large army to attack the Liao camp and must defeat them in one battle. Tonight, my sworn brother can send troops to harass the Liao soldiers, exhausting them and causing them to panic. Tomorrow, we can decide the outcome in one battle."

Yang Zhi laughed upon hearing this, "If we're going to harass them, let's

make a big fuss. Send a few artillerymen out to fire at the Liao camp. Maybe that will cause them to break out in a panic." Zhang Yang knew that most of the Liao soldiers had never seen the power of artillery before, and the possibility of them breaking out in a panic at night was quite high. However, he then doubted, "What my sworn brother says is very true, but I'm afraid the Liao soldiers are heavily guarded, and the artillerymen won't be able to get close to their camp."

Yang Zhi said, "We can first send a few men to check the Liao camp's defenses. We'll then act according to the situation. If we succeed, the Liao soldiers will surely be thrown into chaos. If not, we can just harass them with drums and gongs."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang nodded and ordered Yang Zhi to make the arrangements.

In the Liao army camp,

Yelü Yanxi was drinking and making merry with a group of sycophants when Yelü Dashi requested an audience. Along the way, Yelü Dashi had repeatedly advised Yelü Yanxi against his drinking and revelry in the camp, but Xiao Fengxian and his cronies had flattered Yelü Yanxi, making him increasingly annoyed with Yelü Dashi.

Seeing Yelü Yanxi's displeasure, Xiao Fengxian said, "Yelü Dashi, relying on his status as a member of the royal family, has repeatedly spoiled Your Majesty's enjoyment. Why doesn't Your Majesty send him back to the capital? That way, no one will hinder Your Majesty from indulging in your pleasures."

Yelü Yanxi's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he said to a nearby eunuch, "Bring him in."

Yelü Dashi, unaware of the thoughts of the two men, entered and had just performed his salutations. Yelü Yanxi then said, “I was just about to send someone to look for you when you arrived, which saves a lot of time. I just received a report from the King of Qin and Jin (Yelü Chun) that the Jin army is currently moving its troops frequently and intends to invade Zhongjing. However, the front line is short of food and supplies. In order to prevent the Jili Mountain incident from happening again, you can quickly send money and food to Nanjing to the front line.”

(The Incident at Jili Mountain—In 7 years, most of Liaodong under the Liao Dynasty fell to the Jin Dynasty, putting Liao in a very unfavorable position. Emperor Tianzuo of Liao appointed Yelü Chun, the garrison commander of Nanjing, as Grand Marshal and Xiao Degong as his deputy to recover Liaodong. Yelü Chun's army consisted of the Nanjing Imperial Guard, Yanyun militia, and rebel troops. Several miscellaneous troops under Yelü Chun's command were stationed in the Jili Mountain area of Weizhou. In November of the same year, two battalions of rebel troops mutinied due to a lack of winter clothing. While Yelü Chun was dealing with the rebels and reorganizing his army, the Jin army approached, forcing him to hastily engage in battle. In the ensuing battle, the rebel troops were defeated first, and the Liao army subsequently suffered a major rout. The Jin army took advantage of the victory and occupied Cheng, Yi, Hao, Wei, Xian, and Qian prefectures.)

In fact, this matter had been reported from the front lines, but Yelü Yanxi believed that the Jin Dynasty had just conquered many places and was not yet able to win over the hearts of the people, stabilize the region, or invade again, so he kept it quiet.

Yelü Dashi only learned of this at this moment. Upon hearing this, he exclaimed in surprise, "Since Zhongjing is in dire straits, I dare not delay. I should immediately send money and provisions to Nanjing. However, just now, several thousand reinforcements from Ansu Army arrived. Your Majesty should also make preparations as soon as possible to prevent the Southern troops from attacking under cover of night."

Upon hearing this, Yelü Yanxi was thrown into disarray and looked at Xiao Fengxian beside him.

Xiao Fengxian said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, the Southern army under Ansu numbers no more than 30,000. Even with a few thousand reinforcements, they are at a disadvantage and will certainly not dare to risk an attack."

Yelü Dashi hurriedly said, "Today, I observed that the Southern army is no ordinary bandit; we should not underestimate them. Your Majesty should make preparations as soon as possible."

Xiao Fengxian retorted, "The Southern army has cannons to defend the city; why would they abandon their weapons and risk attacking the camp? Dashi Linya is overthinking it. You should go to Nanjing to arrange the finances and provisions. If Zhongjing is lost, it will truly shake the foundation of the nation."

Another sycophant, Xiao Deli, also chimed in, "What the Privy Councilor says is quite right. The Southern Kingdom is merely a minor ailment; the Jin Kingdom is the real threat. Dashi Linya should set off as soon as possible."

Hearing the words of the two men, Yelü Yanxi was relieved. Seeing that Yelü Dashi wanted to say more, he pretended to be sleepy.

Seeing this, Yelü Dashi knew that Yelü Yanxi was getting impatient, but in order to avoid repeating the incident at Hubudagang, he still braced himself and said, "The Southern Army is led by the veteran general Wang Huan and the descendants of the Yang family generals. Your Majesty should make arrangements as soon as possible."

Seeing his lack of tact, Yelü Yanxi could only say, "I will send someone to arrange it. You should go to Nanjing to arrange the money and provisions first."

Yelü Dashi, seeing the emperor's distracted state, knew he was just being perfunctory, but he couldn't say anything more and had to leave the tent.

Once Yelü Dashi was out, Yelü Yanxi immediately recovered from his exhaustion and resumed his revelry with his sycophants. It wasn't until midnight that Yelü Yanxi dismissed everyone.

After leaving his tent, Yelü Dashi went straight to the tent of another commander, Xiao Gan (also known as Xi King Huilibao, a strong and brave man skilled in riding and archery, who was appointed "King of the Six Tribes of Xi" and concurrently in charge of the Eastern Route Army during the Tianqing era of the Liao Dynasty (around 5 AD) due to his repeated defeats of the barbarian armies).

Xiao Gan also greatly admired Yelü Dashi's talent and, upon hearing of his visit, hurriedly came out of his tent to greet him.

The two entered the tent side by side, and Yelü Dashi said, "Time is of the essence, so let's not stand on ceremony any longer. Just now, after nightfall, several thousand Ansu troops entered the city as reinforcements. I fear the Southern troops might launch a night attack. You should order your men to remain in armor and on horseback, secretly on guard against a night attack."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Gan asked curiously, "Since this is the case, why didn't Lin Ya report it to the King?"

Yelü Dashi sighed and said, "I already reported it, but the King was misled by Xiao Fengxian and the others and didn't take it to heart. He also ordered me to transport money and provisions to Nanjing, so I must also get up. As for this matter..." "I entrust everything to the General."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Gan sighed and said, "With Xiao Fengxian and his men around, how can the King listen to loyal advice? When Lin Ya comes to see the King, he should inquire about the situation."

Yelü Dashi sighed, "It was my oversight. I must go now. If I stay any longer, Xiao Fengxian's followers might find out, and then there might be more trouble."

Xiao Gan said, "Lin Ya, rest assured on your journey. As long as I am here, I will ensure the King's safety."

Upon hearing this, Yelü Dashi knew that it was already good enough that Xiao Gan's army could ensure the King's safety, so he dared not ask for anything more. He cupped his hands and took his leave.

In the dead of night, preparing for battle without the commander's order would surely raise suspicion of a mutiny. Xiao Gan was not on duty and feared arousing suspicion, so he secretly ordered a few trusted soldiers to make preparations.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Night Raid

on the Liao Camp The Heavenly Soldier Scout You Ran circled the Liao army camp and found that the Liao soldiers had no hidden agents and the sentries were lax. He hurriedly reported back to the city.

Upon hearing the news, Zhang Yang was overjoyed and laughed, "Heaven is helping me! Everyone, listen to my command, Wu Song!"

Wu Song, hearing his name called, quickly stood up and replied, "Yes, sir."

Zhang Yang said, "Assemble your personal guards, have them gagged and remove the bells from their horses, and follow me out of the city."

Wu Song accepted the order and went to assemble his troops.

Yang Zhi and the other two, hearing this, knew a major operation was about to take place and, of course, were unwilling to miss the opportunity to gain merit. They all looked at Zhang Yang with burning eyes.

Zhang Yang glanced at the three, seeing their high morale, and nodded in satisfaction, calling out, "Zhang Qing, Wang Huan."

Hearing their names called, Wang Huan and Zhang Qing quickly stood up and loudly acknowledged the order.

Zhang Yang said, "You two will lead your troops out of the city through the north gate, circle around to the front, and intercept the Liao soldiers."

Although the two had doubts, they trusted Zhang Yang's wisdom and immediately accepted the order to go out and muster their troops.

Zhang Yang then turned to Yang Zhi and said, "Please, sworn brother, lead your troops to defend the city, in case the Liao people have any tricks up their sleeves."

Although Yang Zhi already knew his sworn brother, the emperor, was highly skilled and daring, he was still surprised to hear this and exclaimed, "Your Majesty, do you intend to attack the camp with only four thousand troops?"

Zhang Yang laughed and said, "Although my personal guards number only four thousand, they are all elite troops, handpicked from the best. If the Liao people are attacked by cannons again, they certainly won't dare to fight to the death. I'm afraid four thousand is even a bit too many. Even if the Liao people have a trick up their sleeves, I'm afraid they won't be able to hold back my four thousand personal guards. Sworn brother, you should..." "Do you doubt my skills?"

Yang Zhi hurriedly replied, "How could I doubt Your Majesty's skills? But Your Majesty is the ruler of a nation; why must you personally risk your life? Perhaps I could go in Your Majesty's stead."

Zhang Yang laughed, "I've been itching for a fight since my journey north. My sworn brother, please don't argue with me. I'll be right back. My sworn brother, please prepare a feast to welcome my triumphant return."

Yang Zhi wanted to say more, but seeing that Zhang Yang had already gotten up and left the house, and knowing that with Zhang Yang's martial arts skills, probably no one could stop him at night, he went to arrange for the troops to guard him.

Under the cover of night, the gunners easily moved the gun carriages outside the camp. Some even approached within dozens of paces, quickly setting up the gun carriages, waiting for the camp to be set ablaze.

Relying on his abnormal skills, Zhang Yang easily sneaked into the rear camp. Seeing a clearing with many carts of grain, he took advantage of the guards' drowsiness, slipped between the carts, and set them on fire. Instantly, smoke and flames soared into the sky.

As soon as the fire started, the artillerymen all around opened fire. The cannons roared, like the earth splitting open. The Liao soldiers guarding the camp had never seen such a sight before; they scattered in panic, and even the officers on duty couldn't restrain them. The soldiers, awakened from their sleep and hearing the chaos within the camp, fled in disarray.

Hearing the cannon fire, Xiao Gan quickly gathered his trusted troops. Seeing that many places in the camp were on fire and the soldiers were in chaos, he knew he couldn't quell the unrest and hurriedly led his troops towards Yelü Yanxi's tent.

Yelü Yanxi had just fallen asleep when he was awakened by the deafening cannon fire. Hearing the chaos outside, he felt weak all over. Several eunuchs had to support him to help him put on his clothes. Before he was even fully dressed, Yelü Yanxi ordered his eunuchs to help him out of the tent.

Just as they stepped outside the tent, the artillerymen unleashed a second volley, one cannonball landing right next to Yelü Yanxi's main tent. The deafening roar and blinding flash of light instantly caused Yelü Yanxi to collapse to the ground.

After setting several more fires, Zhang Yang sneaked into the central tent and witnessed this scene. Seeing the Liao emperor, who was supposed to be a military ruler, so weak, he shook his head. Seeing many soldiers surging in from all sides, he slipped into a nearby tent.

Xiao Fengxian had just finished dressing and was about to leave when a man in black flashed in. Before he could question him, Zhang Yang knocked him unconscious.

Xiao Gan's warhorse was also startled by the deafening cannon fire. Xiao Gan had just calmed his horse and hadn't gone far when a third volley of cannon fire followed. By the time Xiao Gan had calmed his horse again, Wu Song's personal guards had already stormed into the camp.

Seeing a troop of soldiers charging into the camp, Xiao Gan dared not engage them and led his troops stealthily towards Yelü Yanxi's main tent.

Yelü Yanxi had just gathered some personal guards when he saw Xiao Gan arriving with his troops. He disregarded his favored ministers and generals, and hurriedly said, "Minister Xiao, quickly escort me back to the capital!"

Xiao Gan, already terrified, and now under the emperor's command, immediately escorted Yelü Yanxi northward.

A few scattered soldiers who had arrived followed suit.

Seeing the dwindling number of troops outside, Zhang Yang slipped into several nearby tents and knocked unconscious the still-drunk Xiao Deli and several terrified sycophants.

Emerging from his tent, Zhang Yang saw that Yu Beng had arrived with his men and ordered him to gather the major fugitives. Zhang Yang then took command in his own tent.

Wu Song did not pursue the fleeing soldiers but instead divided into four groups to hunt down the remaining escapees within the camp. The Liao soldiers had no will to resist; most fled north under cover of darkness. Those surrounded by Wu Song's four groups surrendered without a fight.

Half an hour later, the camp returned to calm, and the few remaining fires had been extinguished. Only the lingering acrid smell and the groans of some Liao soldiers who weren't quite dead indicated that a major battle had just taken place.

Although the personal guards had been traveling for days and had just experienced a small skirmish, the resounding victory had kept them awake. Under Zhang Yang's orders, the separation of prisoners and the inspection of the tents proceeded smoothly.

The inspection wasn't completed until dawn.

After tallying the spoils, Wu Song, unable to contain his excitement, rushed to the central tent to report.

Zhang Yang, who was resting with his eyes closed, heard someone enter the tent. Opening his eyes and seeing Wu Song's joyful face, he smiled and said, "Quite a victory, isn't it?"

Wu Song laughed, "Indeed, in this battle our army captured over 8,000 Liao soldiers and over 5,000 warhorses, and there is still much armor, weapons, money, and provisions that have not yet been counted."

Zhang Yang also knew that this battle would be very fruitful. Not to mention the captured men and horses, the money brought by the Liao emperor on his personal expedition must have been considerable, and the captured ministers and soldiers could also be sold for a large sum. However, he did not yet know the fighting strength of the Huizong's troops, so he asked, "What are our casualties?"

Wu Song replied, "Thirteen men were lost, and more than one hundred were wounded."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang was relieved and nodded, saying, "Pass on my imperial decree: the families of those who died in this battle will be granted one hundred taels of silver and one hundred mu of land; the wounded will be rewarded with twenty taels of silver; and the remaining soldiers will be rewarded with ten taels of silver."

Zhang Yang gave Wu Song a few more instructions and then sent him to bring several prisoners.

Not long after Wu Song left the tent, he heard cheers and shouts of thanks from the camp.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Dealing with Prisoners of War

Overnight, the Liao emperor's tent had a new master. The favored ministers and generals, who usually sat comfortably on their high thrones thanks to the emperor's favor, now had to watch the seemingly sleeping young emperor with trepidation.

One general, still possessing the courage and integrity of a warrior, stood for a while. Seeing that no one greeted them or woke the emperor, he shouted at Zhang Yang, "Southern brat, release us quickly, lest our iron cavalry trample the Central Plains!"

Although Wu Song's status was different now, his strong-willed nature was hard to change overnight. Coupled with his long-standing respect for Zhang Yang, he was enraged by the man's disrespect. He kicked the man to the ground and drew his sword to strike.

A person facing sudden death might still be able to stubbornly pretend to be a hero, but waiting for death, pondering the consequences, is a form of torment.

Zhang Yang had only closed his eyes to rest in order to intimidate the Liao people, but now he pretended to be startled awake and shouted, "Stop!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Song reluctantly stopped his attack when the blade was already at the Liao general's neck.

The general felt a chill on his neck and immediately collapsed to the ground.

Seeing that the other Liao people had lost their arrogance, Zhang Yang asked, "Can you understand Chinese?"

Although the Liao Dynasty was a northern foreign state, since its founding, it had not rejected Han Chinese culture and institutions; on the contrary, it valued Han people and promoted Han culture. Many high-ranking Liao officials were fond of Chinese literature, and their admiration for Central Plains culture meant that many Liao officials were fluent in Chinese.

Xiao Fengxian, seeing Zhang Yang's question, quickly replied, "We have admired Central Plains culture since childhood, and we can all speak Chinese."

Zhang Yang nodded and said, "That's good. Tell us your names and official titles."

Although the Liao people didn't know what Zhang Yang was planning, they dared not hesitate and each gave their official titles.

After listening, Zhang Yang only knew that Xiao Fengxian and Xiao Deli were historically recorded as treacherous officials of the Liao Dynasty. Although he hadn't heard of the other people's names, they lived near Yelü Yanxi, so they must have been favored ministers. If these people were gone, the Liao Dynasty might be able to revive, but killing them wouldn't benefit Zhang Yang much at the moment, and he didn't need the Liao Dynasty to resist the Jin Dynasty for a long time. On the contrary, letting the Liao Dynasty continue to decay would allow Zhang Yang to easily conquer several northern prefectures when he had time. This balance of power temporarily saved the lives of the treacherous ministers.

Before Zhang Yang could speak, he heard light footsteps outside the tent, and then a personal guard came in to report: "The Prince of Dingbei requests an audience."

Zhang Yang said, "Please invite my sworn brother in."

Yang Zhi entered the tent and saw several timid Liao civil and military officials present, so he bowed deeply to Zhang Yang.

Seeing Yang Zhi enter in high spirits, Zhang Yang already knew that Wang Huan and Zhang Qing's forces had achieved brilliant results. Without mentioning military matters, he smiled and said, "Brother, why did you leave the city so early?"

Yang Zhi replied with a smile, "His Majesty's might has decisively defeated the Liao Kingdom. Generals Wang and Zhang have already escorted the prisoners back to the city. His Majesty must have been up all night. I've come to invite His Majesty to come into the city and rest."

Seeing that the Liao soldiers nearby were listening intently, Zhang Yang asked, "How many prisoners did Wang Huan and Zhang Qing capture?"

Yang Zhi replied, "We haven't had time to count them yet, but it should be no less than ten thousand. Many more were killed or wounded. It's just a pity that the Liao emperor escaped."

Several Liao officials nearby breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that the emperor had fled. As long as Yelü Yanxi was still on the throne, given their favor, they would likely try their best to redeem them, and they could use this opportunity to beg for mercy from the Southern army.

Zhang Yang nodded and said, "Follow my imperial decree, clear the camp, move the troops back to the city, and finish off any Liao soldiers who cannot move, to spare them further suffering." The

fates of hundreds of wounded Liao soldiers were decided with Zhang Yang's words. Unfortunately, those who heard the comrades' cries did not think to plead for their lives, nor did they show even a trace of anger. Seeing Zhang Yang's ruthlessness, the Liao prisoners' first thought was of their own lives.

Xiao Fengxian, realizing he might be executed, could no longer stand. His body went limp, and he knelt on the ground, kowtowing and saying, "Your Majesty, spare my life! I am willing to pay a large sum to redeem myself."

Seeing someone set an example, the other Liao officials also knelt and begged for mercy.

Seeing even the previously shouting, uncouth man kneeling and begging for mercy, Zhang Yang couldn't help but shake his head inwardly. The emperor's entourage was full of such cowardly people; no wonder the Liao dynasty, which had existed for over two hundred years, would perish in just ten years.

Although he inwardly despised the crowd, he still smiled and said, "I don't want to harm you, but I fear your emperor won't be willing to ransom you."

Hearing that escape was possible, Xiao Fengxian hurriedly said, "Although I am not talented, I am highly favored by the emperor, and my sister is a concubine of the Liao Kingdom; she will certainly find a way to rescue me."

Zhang Yang nodded and said, "That's good. Then you can name your ransom price yourselves. I only accept gold, silver, cattle, and horses. I will only give you one chance; if it's too little, there's no need to bother."

Hearing that they only had one chance, the crowd began to consider how much they could offer to satisfy Zhang Yang.

Before they could decide, screams of agony came from outside.

Hearing the screams, Xiao Fengxian thought to himself: Saving my life is the most important thing. As long as I return to the capital, no one will dare to speak ill of me before the emperor.

Xiao Fengxian assessed his own wealth again and gritted his teeth, saying, "I am willing to offer 100,000 taels of silver, 1,000 horses, and 1,000 oxen." He then cautiously glanced at Zhang Yang, fearing even the slightest hint of displeasure on Zhang Yang's face.

Zhang Yang remained silent, only looking at the others.

Seeing that Xiao Fengxian had already quoted a high price, the others dared not offer too low, fearing the emperor wouldn't pay, so they estimated their own wealth and tried to inflate their bids.

Although their offers were not as substantial as those of Cai Jing and others, the Liao Dynasty's economy was not on the same level as the Song Dynasty's. Seeing that everyone's bids were quite high, Zhang Yang laughed and said, "I didn't expect you all to be so valuable. There are still four imperial nephews captured last time in Xiongzhou City. I imagine their value is no less than yours. Let your emperor redeem them all. If the gold and silver are insufficient, cattle and horses can be used as payment."

After saying this, he pointed to the Liao general who had shouted and said, "Go back and report this. If even one tael of silver is missing, I will not release a single person. Your lives are all in his hands. I suppose you have something to say to him."

Xiao Fengxian also knew that he had offended many people and was afraid that the court officials would take advantage of his misfortune. He quickly said to the Liao general, "After you go back, first send someone to deliver a message to Consort Yuan, asking her to find a way to rescue us. When I return, I will reward you handsomely."

The others also gave instructions to the Liao general, and only stopped talking when they saw Yang Zhi's impatient expression.

Zhang Yang had someone give the Liao general a horse and then led everyone back to the city.

Zhang Yang then lavishly rewarded the meritorious soldiers within the city, rested for a day, and the next day ordered Wu Song to lead troops from Jingjing (the fifth of the Eight Paths of Taihang, located on Jingjing Mountain in present-day Jingjing County, Hebei Province, a crucial passage connecting Shanxi, Hebei, and Shandong) towards Hedong.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The First Battle of Tokyo

Late May was already unbearably hot, and people were all seeking refuge from the heat. The Ministry of War, however, was unusually busy. Since Zhang Yang's northward journey, the key figures left behind in Tokyo had finally gathered together.

Seeing that everyone was present, Dai Zong cleared his throat and said, "Two days ago, the garrison commander of Nanjing's Yingtian Prefecture led over 80,000 troops from various prefectures of Lianghuai towards Tokyo. Now it's time for you generals to show your prowess."

Lu Zhishen and the other five commanders of ten thousand men left behind, since entering Tokyo, had only been able to watch the battle reports constantly being sent back from the northwest during their training. They were naturally envious of the generals who had already distinguished themselves, and had volunteered several times to attack Nanjing, but Wu Yong had refused each time. Now, hearing that the Nanjing troops were marching north, they were overjoyed, each rubbing their hands together, looking at Minister of War Wu Yong.

Wu Yong ignored the five men and instead asked, "Where is Tong Guan's army now?"

Dai Zong replied, "They just crossed the Yangtze River. It seems the Nanjing garrison commander was afraid Tong Guan would steal the credit, so he led his troops to attack first." Wu

Yong said, "The Nanjing garrison commander is inferior to Tong Guan in both troops and rank. If we wait for Tong Guan to go north, he will naturally be the commander-in-chief. Even if we capture Tokyo, the credit will naturally go to Tong Guan. It's a pity they only know that our Heavenly Army has divided its forces to go north and west, but they don't know that we still have 50,000 troops waiting in the capital. It's all for naught. The Nanjing troops are just a motley crew from various prefectures, which are easy to defeat. What's worrying is Tong Guan's army. Tong Guan's army is full of veterans from the Northwest." "And they come with the momentum of a great victory in the southeast, so they will probably be difficult to wipe out."

Lu Zhishen, hearing that he had a chance to use his skills, was overjoyed and habitually said, "Strategist, you are overthinking it. Although the elite troops in the northwest are powerful, they are exhausted from their campaigns in the south and north, and have suffered heavy casualties in their repeated battles with Fang La's forces. We are well-rested and ready to fight them, so why should we fear their remaining troops?"

Zong Ze, although the Minister of Personnel, was also invited to the meeting because of his knowledge of military affairs. Hearing this, he said, "General Lu is right. Moreover, most of Tong Guan's troops come from the northwest. Now, the eight prefectures in the northwest have been occupied by the Tubo and Western Xia. Zhong Shidao has retreated to Gongzhou, but it is also in a precarious situation. As long as we send someone to Tong..." Spreading intelligence about the Northwest among Tong Guan's army will surely throw their morale into chaos, making them easier to defeat. However, with troops from all the prefectures of Lianghuai coming in droves, I fear Wang Qing might take the opportunity to seize these prefectures and harm the people.”

Wu Yong sighed upon hearing this, saying, “Most of our army has already marched north and west. Currently, we only have enough troops to defend Dongjing (Kaifeng), and we are powerless to annihilate Wang Qing unless we can subdue Tong Guan's army.”

Dai Zong thought for a moment and said, “What Lord Wu is thinking might be feasible. Now that His Majesty has led his troops north, he should be able to defeat the Liao Kingdom before Tong Guan's army. We can ask His Majesty to go south. His Majesty has a divine eagle that can travel a thousand miles a day. As long as His Majesty…” "Upon arriving in the capital, with His Majesty's skill, he will surely be able to capture Tong Guan alive in the military camp tonight. At that time

, the Northwest troops will be leaderless, making it much easier to subdue them." Upon hearing this, Zong Ze clapped his hands and laughed, "I had forgotten about His Majesty. How could Tong Guan escape His Majesty's grasp? With the Central Plains pacified, we can then use the full strength of the nation to advance westward and wipe out

Western Xia and Tibet." Wu Yong dared not doubt Zhang Yang. Seeing that everyone was eager to fight, he said, "Then let us await His Majesty's good news

. Mei Zhan's troops should strengthen the defenses within the city to prevent any unrest. The other four troops should also prepare for battle." Upon hearing this, Mei Zhan knew that there was no hope of going to war again, and he reluctantly accepted the military order. Lu Zhishen, Dong Ping, Xiang Yuanzhen, and Xu Jing loudly acknowledged the order.

After exchanging some views on the situation in the Northwest, everyone dispersed.

Li Wendao, the garrison commander of Nanjing, was an ambitious but incompetent man. After issuing a proclamation calling for reinforcements, he saw that more than a dozen prefectures in the Huai River region had risen in response. He believed that the Liangshan rebels were truly defying the will of Heaven, and that his call to arms had brought the whole country to their aid. In his elation, he was

further instigated by several advisors, who feared that Tong Guan would seize military power and merit after marching north. Having gathered over 80,000 local troops and militia, he set off for Dongjing (Kaifeng). Han Shizhong repeatedly tried to dissuade him, but Li Wendao suspected that Han was merely stalling for time for Tong Guan and feared that Han would later seize power for Tong Guan. Therefore, he left Han Shizhong's troops in Nanjing to guard the city.

Liu Shiwu, one of Li Wendao's generals, looked at the disorganized, ragtag army behind him and shook his head. Having troops from various prefectures only served to tie down the 30,000 imperial guards in Nanjing. If the rebels ambushed them along the way, his own troops would likely be scattered by the local troops.

After a half-day of anxious travel, they were fortunate to find no ambush and set up camp ten miles outside Dongjing City that night.

Liu Shiwu then advised Li Wendao to order the troops of each prefecture to bury deer antlers deep and dig numerous pits to guard against attacks from the Liangshan bandits. Liu Shiwu himself took charge of the night watch. Shi

Qian, the Flea on the Drum, sneaked to Li Wendao's camp under cover of darkness to investigate. Finding the camp heavily guarded and numerous sentries outside, he had no choice but to return to the city.

Upon hearing the news, Wu Yong also abandoned his plans for a night attack.

Early the next morning, Li Wendao led his army to deploy outside the East Gate. Just as Li Wendao was about to order his troops to challenge them, the city gates opened wide, and a large contingent of heavenly soldiers poured out of the city.

Although Liu Shiwu had spent the night on guard duty, he was still worried about Li Wendao and insisted on bringing his troops. Seeing the city gate open, he hurriedly said, "My lord, the bandits dare to leave the city; they must have something to rely on. Why don't we take advantage of their unstable foothold and bravely attack, seizing the city gate?"

Li Wendao glanced at the archers on the city wall, bows drawn, and said, "There are so many archers on the city wall. If we rashly attack, the casualties will be enormous. Besides, the Liangshan bandits have usurped power and rebelled. Our army is a righteous force; we should defeat them honorably on the battlefield, not resort to sneak attacks like those bandits."

Liu Shiwu shook his head inwardly upon hearing this and stepped aside, watching as the Heavenly Army quickly deployed its forces below the city.

The two armies clashed,

and the difference in strength was immediately apparent. Although the Heavenly Army was outnumbered, their armor was gleaming, their formation was orderly, and their morale was high. In contrast, although Li Wendao's troops had superior numbers, the garrison troops on both flanks were clearly untrained, their formation loose, and after days of marching, their faces were etched with fatigue; many were yawning constantly.

Wu Yong glanced at the battle formation and was already confident.

Dong Ping, who had been itching for a fight, rushed in front of Wu Yong as soon as they set up their formation, saying, "I'll go and give them a taste of their own medicine."

Wu Yong knew that Dong Ping was highly skilled in martial arts and extremely fierce in spear fighting, and could unleash the full force of heavenly troops, so he nodded and ordered him to fight.

Dong Ping spurred his horse forward and shouted, "You remnants of the Song Dynasty! My Heavenly Dynasty is about to send troops to wipe you out, but you've delivered yourselves to our doorstep. Now, dismount and surrender, and you may save your lives. If you dare to utter a word of dissent, then try my double spears!"

Li Wendao was furious upon hearing this and ordered one of his lieutenants to fight.

Dong Ping saw someone come forward and spurred his horse to meet him. When he got close, he roared and with a swift spear thrust, he had already killed the lieutenant.

Seeing that one of his generals had fallen, Li Wendao feared that his soldiers would lose heart, so he quickly ordered his general Liu Shiwu to fight.

Although Liu Shiwu was exhausted, he had to obey his orders and ride out to fight Dong Ping.

Having marched for days and patrolled all night, Liu Shiwu was somewhat fatigued after thirty or forty rounds, and his swordsmanship slowed. Dong Ping forced his broadsword aside with his right hand and used his left pistol, striking Liu Shiwu squarely in the neck. Liu Shiwu immediately lost his footing and fell from his horse.

The heavenly soldiers, seeing their general win two consecutive battles, cheered thunderously.

Li Wendao, seeing another loss of his general, dared not send anyone out, but relying on his superior numbers, he led his army forward.

Wu Yong waited until they were five hundred paces from the front before waving the signal flag, and the artillerymen on the city walls began to fire.

The immense power of the cannons immediately threw Li Wendao's troops into chaos, and Wu Yong, seeing this, led his army forward again.

Li Wendao, startled by the cannon's power, dared not resist and turned his horse to flee to the flank. Dong Ping, however, had already set his sights on this great opportunity. He spurred his horse forward, and with a single thrust of his spear, felled Li Wendao from his horse.

Seeing this, the Song soldiers lost all will to fight. Wu Yong led his troops in pursuit for over ten miles before withdrawing.

Chapter Thirty: The Hundred Flowers Submit

Under the blazing sun, even the cicadas, unable to withstand the summer heat, incessantly protested. Since accompanying Zhang Yang to the capital, Fang Baihua had been residing in the imperial palace, her communications nearly cut off. Only after Zhang Yang led his troops north some time ago did he send a message, saying that her brother, Fang La, had been captured by the Song army and was being escorted north. He had sent people to keep watch, and she should wait patiently.

Fang Baihua knew that once they crossed the Yangtze River, they would be outside the Manichaean sphere of influence, and even if she knew her brother's whereabouts, she would be powerless to help. She could only wait for news. However, as time passed, she grew impatient. These past few days, she had noticed frequent troop movements within the palace, and the mornings were filled with the sound of cannons. Curious, Fang Baihua sent Deng Yuanjue out to gather information. Listening to the incessant chirping of cicadas outside the courtyard, Fang Baihua felt even more irritated.

Finally, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door. Fang Baihua didn't wait for the person to approach before walking to the door and asking, "Do you know what happened?"

Deng Yuanjue replied, "It was the troops from Nanjing Yingtian Prefecture and various prefectures in Lianghuai who attacked, but they have already been defeated by the Celestial Dynasty."

Fang Baihua had seen the Liangshan army's strength on her way here and knew that it was not something that the corrupt Song Dynasty army could withstand. Not to mention her own followers and people, she had long since given up hope of dividing the country along the river and only hoped that her family would be reunited safely. Upon hearing this, Deng Yuanjue said, "Judging by the time, the Holy Duke (Fang La) should have already crossed the river. Haven't they found out anything yet?"

Deng Yuanjue shook his head and said, "There are many prisoners in this battle. They haven't had time to inquire about the Holy Duke. Princess, please rest assured, since the Holy Duke has been escorted north, his life is certainly not in danger."

Fang Baihua smiled upon hearing this, then shook her head and said, "I'm afraid that after the Celestial Dynasty rescues the Holy Duke, it will be like escaping one wolf's mouth only to fall into another."

Deng Yuanjue exclaimed in surprise, "Does the Princess mean that the Celestial Dynasty might harm the Holy Duke?"

Fang Baihua thought of the Celestial Dynasty's boastful literary and military prowess, and her heart couldn't help but flutter a few times. Shaking his head, he said, "Given the Emperor's magnanimity and vision, he shouldn't harm the Holy Duke, but he probably won't let the tiger return to the mountain either."

Deng Yuanjue, however, was also a rough-and-tumble monk from the martial world. Hearing this, he scratched his forehead and said, "I don't quite understand what the princess is saying. He won't harm him, nor will he release him. Does he intend to keep the Holy Duke around?"

Fang Baihua laughed, "The Heavenly Dynasty will most likely grant the Holy Duke an honorary title and place him under house arrest in the capital."

Deng Yuanjue thought for a moment, sighed, and said, "Since the Holy Duke has been captured, I'm afraid our sect's strength is almost gone." "I'll accept the wealth and peace I can gain in return, but I don't know how the Celestial Dynasty will treat my followers,"

Fang Baihua said helplessly. "Since our sect entered the Central Plains during the Tang Dynasty, it has been repeatedly banned. I'm afraid the Celestial Dynasty won't allow us to preach anymore. Now, with the remaining troops, we've surrendered to the Celestial Dynasty. Perhaps that will save the lives of our remaining followers. Take me to see the Minister of War of the Celestial Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, Deng Yuanjue knew that they couldn't resist the Celestial Dynasty's army, and the sect's leaders were still hoping for their rescue. He sighed and led Fang Baihua to the Ministry of War.

Wu Yong was considering how to deal with the prisoners of war when he heard Fang Baihua requesting an audience. He frowned. When the Emperor left, he had already said that Fang La and his group should be kept there. She had been quite well-behaved, just hiding in her courtyard every day. He had just learned of Fang La's whereabouts, and she came to see him. Could it be that there was some connection between the siblings?

Although he was puzzled, he still ordered someone to invite Fang Baihua and her companion in.

Fang Baihua and Deng Yuanjue entered and immediately knelt down to pay their respects.

Previously, the two had only ever performed a polite, informal bow to Zhang Yang, so Wu Yong was quite surprised to see them perform such a grand ceremony. However, he didn't show it on his face, and instead told them to rise, asking, "Are you settling in comfortably here?"

Fang Baihua replied, "Thank you for your inquiry, sir. The palace scenery is delightful, no less beautiful than the landscapes of Jiangnan."

Wu Yong noticed Fang Baihua's humble demeanor, a stark contrast to the arrogance he usually displayed as a foreign envoy. Then he asked, "I hope you're comfortable here. Are the palace maids any good?"

Fang Baihua quickly replied, "Everything is fine."

Wu Yong chatted for a few more minutes before asking, "May I ask what brings you two here today?"

Seeing that he had finally gotten to the point, Fang Baihua said, "I heard that the Celestial Empire defeated the armies of Nanjing and Lianghuai today. I wonder if you have found out where my brother is?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Yong nodded and said, "To be honest, Fang La and his group have been escorted to Nanjing's Yingtian Prefecture. However, our dynasty currently does not have enough troops to attack Nanjing."

Since leaving Jiangnan, Fang Baihua had lost contact with her brother. Hearing his whereabouts now, her eyes welled up with tears, but she thought... Now that only he could save his brother, he suppressed his excitement and said, "Since the Celestial Empire has already defeated the Nanjing troops, why not take advantage of the situation and seize Nanjing?"

Wu Yong shook his head and said, "Tong Guan's army has already crossed the river and headed north. Our army is not strong enough to divide its forces to defend both Nanjing and Tokyo. Moreover, Wang Qing is watching us closely. Although his troops are mostly a rabble, they still number over 200,000, so we cannot be careless."

Fang Baihua said, "If you can save my brother, I am willing to issue a document to persuade the followers in Jiangnan to surrender to the Celestial Empire. Please consider this."

When Tong Guan was besieging Fang La, several armies marched south and were unable to come to Fang La's aid, thus escaping the disaster. Although Tong Guan left 30,000 troops to suppress the remnants of Fang La, he could not wipe them out in time. In addition, Tong Guan led the main force north, which made the rebel army less cautious. Cutting off their supply lines and launching joint attacks, the Song army was at a disadvantage for a time, and Jiangnan was in chaos.

Upon hearing this, Wu Yong was somewhat tempted. If the Emperor could capture and kill Tong Guan, the elite troops of the Northwest could be subdued. If the remnants of Fang La's forces could also be subdued, then there would be little resistance left in Jiangnan. Thinking this, he said, "His Majesty left an edict before he left, instructing that your brother and his men be rescued. However, with our current troop strength strained, this matter is somewhat difficult to carry out. Please go back and await news, young lady. I will discuss with the others how we can rescue them."

Fang Baihua, hearing this, knew that Wu Yong was already interested, and immediately took her leave with Deng Yuanjue. After

thinking for a while, Wu Yong summoned the naval commanders Zhang Heng and Zhang Shun, and the commander of ten thousand men, Xiang Yuanzhen.

After they exchanged greetings, Wu Yong said, "Fang La and his group have been taken to Nanjing. Xiang Yuanzhen, you can select three thousand elite soldiers and the navy to travel from the Bian River to Nanjing. While the garrison is gathering its defeated troops, seize Nanjing, and then quickly escort Fang La and his men back to Dongjing (Kaifeng). There must be no delay."

The three men accepted the order and went to muster their troops.

Chapter Thirty-One:

Nanjing Although Li Wendao led a large army to defend the emperor, he left two thousand soldiers and his lieutenant general Li Hao to guard the city to prevent Wang Qing from launching a sneak attack. Han Shizhong also had two thousand soldiers, but since they were on someone else's territory, they were subject to his control. Fang La and his followers were imprisoned in Nanjing, but Han Shizhong's troops were not allowed to take over the prison's defense; instead, they were ordered to patrol the four gates daily

. Han Shizhong had just arrived in Nanjing's Yingtian Prefecture when he learned that Chenzhou had been occupied by Duan Wu, a general under Wang Qing. Therefore, after taking on the task of guarding the city gates, Han Shizhong dared not relax his guard.

Looking at the people coming and going, Jie Yuan sighed, recalling his actions in Jiangnan. Although he joined the army for the sake of becoming a marquis or general, he also had a heart to protect the people. However, in Jiangnan, to reduce the resistance of the Manichaeans, the army massacred entire villages. If they were all Manichaeans, it wouldn't be so bad. But often, simply to boost morale, they allowed their soldiers to burn, kill, and loot in villages. Some officers even dug up graves for burial goods, their brutality no less than that of the Western Xia Tanguts during their invasion of the border.

Jie Yuan thought he was going to Jiangnan to suppress rebels and save the people, but the people of Jiangnan didn't seem to welcome the army. From Hangzhou to Qingxi, ordinary people constantly blocked the army. Even with a disparity in strength, they were resolute, which led to the subsequent massacre. Perhaps they didn't need his "salvation."

Just as he was considering this, he heard the crisp sound of hooves from the side.

Jie Yuan stepped forward and said, "I have already sent scouts outside the city. Wang Qing's rebel army shows no sign of advancing eastward. General, you can rest in the camp. Why brave the heat to patrol the city?"

Han Shizhong shook his head and said, "Things are unpredictable. Who could have imagined that Tokyo would fall in a single day? Everyone be careful, lest we lose the city."

As the two were talking, they saw a rider galloping towards them from afar.

Upon reaching the city, the rider dismounted and reported, "More than a thousand soldiers are approaching the city from ten miles away. Their banners belong to the Imperial Guards."

Jie Yuan had no liking for those Imperial Guards who spent their days lounging in their camps, eating and waiting to die. Hearing this, he scoffed, "Why are these soldiers out of the city today?"

Han Shizhong had just come from patrolling the other three gates. Hearing this, he shook his head and said, "The Imperial Guards left in the city haven't gone out. These people's arrival is suspicious. Close the city gates immediately and summon General Li."

Upon hearing this, his personal guards hurriedly went to relay the orders.

The people outside the city, seeing that the city gates were about to be closed, and recalling the recent sporadic battles, knew something was wrong and hurriedly pushed their way into the city.

Seeing this, Han Shizhong quickly ordered the gates to be forcibly closed.

The people, crying and screaming, were pushed out of the city. Watching the city gates slowly close, they were bewildered.

Han Shizhong, who had climbed the city wall, saw the people still crowded at the gate and shouted, "Troops are approaching from outside the city. To prevent spies from infiltrating, the city gates are temporarily closed. There will likely be fighting here. Fellow villagers, go to the countryside for shelter!"

Hearing this, the people below were terrified and scattered. A few lingered for a while, but seeing a troop of soldiers appear in the distance, they also fled.

That troop of soldiers had retreated from Dongjing (Kaifeng). Upon arriving at the city, seeing the gates closed, they shouted for Han Shizhong to open them.

Han Shizhong, unsure if it was true or not, simply told them to wait outside.

Amidst the shouts and curses from those outside, Li Hao, the deputy commander left behind, slowly walked up the city wall with a hundred soldiers.

Although Han Shizhong was of the same rank as him, when the Nanjing garrison commander left, he had appointed Li Hao as the main commander to guard the city. Therefore, Han Shizhong had no choice but to step forward, clasp his hands in greeting, and say, "There is a group of soldiers below the city claiming to be the Imperial Guards of this prefecture. Please

, General, identify them." Li Hao nodded upon hearing this and waved for several of his men to climb onto the city wall to identify them. These Imperial Guards were not diligent in their daily training and often gambled and drank in groups. Although they belonged to different units, they knew each other quite well. They pointed out, "This is Sun Ruhu." Then they said, "This is Li Qinlong."

Seeing this, Li Hao smiled at Han Shizhong and said, "You're too cautious. Let them in!"

Han Shizhong, though doubtful, was afraid of causing a conflict between the two armies, so he ordered the top scholar to guard both sides of the city gate before letting the remaining soldiers into the city.

The first commander, who happened to be an acquaintance of Li Hao, rushed into the city and ran to the city wall, saying, "General, something terrible has happened! Lord Li Wendao has already died in battle in Tokyo, and the army has been scattered. I'm afraid the Celestial Empire is about to attack Nanjing."

Upon hearing this, Li Hao exclaimed in shock, "Wasn't the main force of the Celestial Empire already transferred to the Northwest and Hebei? How could they have defeated such a large army?"

The commander, recalling the thunderous cannon fire he had heard that day and the men blown to pieces, trembled and said in a trembling voice, "The Celestial Empire has incredibly powerful cannons; the sound is like thunder, and they can blow people to pieces. How can we possibly withstand them? Many brothers, fearing the Celestial army would attack Nanjing again, scattered on the way. The remaining brothers, if it weren't for their families in Nanjing, probably wouldn't dare to return. Please, General, make preparations as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Li Hao's expression changed drastically. Eighty thousand troops had been defeated; how could his few thousand soldiers possibly defend the city?

Although Han Shizhong didn't have a high opinion of Li Wendao's ragtag army, he hadn't expected his 80,000 troops to be defeated so quickly. Seeing Li Hao's growing fear, he quickly said, "Grand Tutor Tong's army has already crossed the river. If we can hold out until Grand Tutor Tong heads north, it will be a great achievement."

Upon hearing this, Li Hao's eyes darted around, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, "General Han is right. Please gather the defeated troops here, General Han. I'll go and discuss with the prefect how to defend the city."

Han Shizhong, unaware of any ulterior motives, loudly replied, "As you command."

Li Hao patted Han Shizhong on the shoulder again before leading his men into the city.

The commander thought for a moment and then followed Li Hao.

After seeing Li Hao walk away, Jie Yuan said, "That Li Hao's eyes were darting around just now; it seems he's hiding something from us."

Han Shizhong thought for a moment and said, "He just wants us to lead the charge. We've fought in the northwest and southeast; what are we afraid of in a small battle? I wouldn't feel comfortable letting them guard the city. Let's go and gather the fleeing soldiers."

Around noon, fleeing soldiers began to enter the city.

Just as Han Shizhong was ordering someone to question one group of fleeing soldiers, he saw several hundred more government troops approaching from outside the city. Han Shizhong sent someone to tell them to wait outside the city, but after the messenger left, they didn't stop; instead, they cursed and swore as they walked into the city.

Just as Han Shizhong was about to send someone to warn them again, he suddenly noticed that their steps were steady and powerful, unlike the other fleeing soldiers who were exhausted; their weapons and armor were also very neat. Han Shizhong hurriedly shouted, "Close the city gates!"

No sooner had he spoken than dozens of the routed soldiers he had questioned suddenly attacked, cutting down dozens of guards and seizing the city gates. The troops outside the city also charged in.

Han Shizhong hastily led his personal guards to kill the traitors inside the city, but the routed soldiers were also elite warriors, fighting to the death. After a brief struggle, the troops outside the city also rushed in.

Xiang Yuanzhen also held off Han Shizhong with his spear, and the elite troops lying in ambush outside the city also poured in to help.

Although Han Shizhong's troops were also elite, dividing his forces to guard the four gates greatly reduced his strength, and he quickly fell into a disadvantageous position. Just as

the two sides were locked in a fierce battle, a rider rushed up from behind, shouting, "General, Li Hao has led his men to break through the south gate and escape!"

It turned out that after Li Hao left the city, he went straight home to pack his valuables, and upon hearing that the imperial army had entered the city, he led his men to escape through the south gate.

Upon hearing this, Han Shizhong was startled, his hand slowed, and he was forced off his horse by Xiang Yuanzhen's broadsword.

Xiang Yuanzhen shouted, "The battle is over; those who surrender will not be killed."

Seeing that Han Shizhong was already held down by several heavenly soldiers, Jie Yuan also led his men to surrender.

Xiang Yuanzhen then ordered Han Shizhong to be released and tried to appease him with kind words. Han Shizhong,

who was utterly disillusioned with the Song Dynasty, surrendered upon seeing this.

Xiang Yuanzhen then ordered the treasury's money and grain, along with Fang La's men, to be moved, and returned directly to Dongjing (Kaifeng).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm ashamed of the number of votes I received; please give me some!

Chapter Thirty-Two:

The Pacification of the Northern Frontier. Just as Tong Guan was brimming with confidence, he heard that the Nanjing garrison commander had already led a coalition of troops from various prefectures to defend the emperor. Enraged, Tong Guan didn't care about his soldiers; he prayed that the Liangshan bandits could resist for a few more days while urging his troops to march towards Dongjing.

Upon arriving in Suzhou, Tong Guan heard that the Nanjing coalition had suffered a major defeat, and he hurriedly summoned two trusted advisors to discuss the matter.

Dong Yun said, "The explosive gunpowder has already been developed in Tokyo, but it has been kept secret. The Liangshan bandits must have obtained the formula from Tokyo. The Nanjing troops, having never seen the power of gunpowder, suffered a crushing defeat. Our army has already used gunpowder in Muzhou, and our soldiers are familiar with it and are not afraid of the bandits' cannons. Moreover, the bandits failed to seize Nanjing, which shows that their forces are insufficient. Grand Tutor, you should lead your troops north to retake the capital."

Tong Guan nodded upon hearing this, saying, "What you say is very true. Let our army attack Tokyo directly. Li Wendao was only interested in seizing credit, and his death and defeat are retribution."

Ma Kuo, however, said, "Although this is a good time to send troops, supplies must precede the army. The bandits have looted the Nanjing treasury, and our army is unable to supply supplies. Tokyo is easy to defend and difficult to attack, so our army will not be able to take Tokyo quickly. Grand Tutor, you must first send people to procure supplies from various prefectures before attacking the city."

Upon hearing this, Tong Guan frowned. If they tried to raise the funds from various prefectures, they certainly wouldn't be able to gather enough in the short term. If the Liangshan troops were to return to reinforce Dongjing, given their strength, the outcome would be uncertain again. Thinking of this, he asked Dong Yun, "Sir, do you have any other good ideas?"

Dong Yun, hearing this, naturally knew that Tong Guan disapproved of Ma Kuo's idea, but if they couldn't raise the funds from various prefectures, they would have to solve the problem locally. The Western Xia did plunder conquered territories, but those were foreign lands. There was no precedent for forcibly seizing them from their own country. Although this felt inappropriate, considering the potential benefits of retaking Tokyo, he said, "Grand Tutor, you can use the court's name to levy grain from the people. Nanjing has many wealthy families; it won't take long to gather enough provisions for the army."

Ma Kuo, upon hearing this, hurriedly said, "Legally levying military provisions might incite a popular uprising, and we might face impeachment from officials later."

Tong Guan thought for a moment, then waved his hand and said, "No need to say more. The priority is to recover the capital as quickly as possible. We'll head to Nanjing first, gather enough provisions, and then attack Tokyo directly."

Upon arriving in Nanjing, Tong Guan's army began to plunder the people, especially the wealthy families with large stockpiles of grain. This caused the landlord class, who had initially feared the Celestial Empire and hoped for the restoration of the Song Dynasty, to gradually lose faith in it. After Emperor Tianzuo of Liao, Yelü Yanxi, fled back to Nanjing, he ordered his men to pack their belongings and prepare to flee to Datong Prefecture in Xijing for refuge.

Upon hearing of the emperor's defeat, the Liao officials stationed there rushed to the court to discuss countermeasures. They waited for a long time, but the emperor did not appear. Prince Jin, Yelü Aoluwo, knowing his father's nature well, saw that no one from the inner palace came to deliver the decree, and the ministers were in chaos. He then loudly proclaimed, "My lords, please calm down. I will go to the palace myself to invite my father." Prince Jin was usually decisive and had a good reputation. However, the powerful minister Xiao Fengxian wanted to enthrone Prince Qin, the son of his sister, and had previously falsely accused Yelü Yudu and others of plotting to install Prince Jin, causing Yelü Yudu to surrender to the Jin. Emperor Tianzuo had also reprimanded Prince Jin, which made the ministers question his ability to inherit the throne. But Prince Jin's accumulated reputation for virtue was far superior to that of Prince Qin. Hearing that the Prince of Jin wished to request permission to visit the palace, everyone waited patiently. Upon entering the palace, the Prince of Jin indeed found it in chaos. Many eunuchs were hurriedly loading boxes onto carriages, and precious porcelain pieces were frequently being smashed on the ground with a crisp sound. Seeing this, the Prince of Jin quickly inquired about the Emperor's whereabouts and went directly to see him. Emperor Tianzuo, Yelü Yanxi, was directing people to pack up his beloved possessions when he saw Prince Jin arrive. He hurriedly said, "My son, quickly pack up. We'll be heading to Xijing soon." Prince Jin, seeing that he was indeed about to flee again, quickly said, "Father, although you suffered a minor defeat, the south is beset by internal and external troubles and will certainly be unable to invade the north. The ministers are waiting in the main hall; Father should go out and appease them, not flee to another place." Emperor Tianzuo, Yelü Yanxi, rushed all the way back to the palace without daring to stop. He then directed people to pack his valuables again, without giving it much thought. Hearing this, his mind cleared, and he asked, "Has any battle report arrived from the border?" Prince Jin replied, "No." Emperor Tianzuo, Yelü Yanxi, breathed a sigh of relief and waved his hand, saying, "Come with me to the hall." Prince Jin quickly stepped aside to let him go first. Seeing the emperor about to leave, a palace attendant hurriedly asked, "Your Majesty, should we pack our things?" Emperor Tianzuo, Yelü Yanxi, still felt a chill when he recalled the power of the cannons. He turned back and said, "Pack them. Have everyone load the things I brought from Zhongjing onto the carts, ready to depart at any time." Prince Jin knew that his father had become extremely nervous since his defeat at Hubudagang, and that it was already a favor that he had even appeared in court, so he dared not ask for anything more. Once Emperor Tianzuo, Yelü Yanxi, entered the court, he had Xiao Gan recount the battle to everyone. Upon hearing that the Jurchens in the north had risen to power and that such powerful firearms had appeared in the south, the ministers felt a chill run down their spines. Several Han officials also began to have some thoughts. Prime Minister Li Chuwen said, "Since the Southern Kingdom has firearms, our country should not wage war again, lest we be attacked from two sides. Your Majesty can send envoys to negotiate peace with the Southern Kingdom." Emperor Tianzuo, Yelü Yanxi, upon hearing this, hurriedly said, "What you say is exactly what I thought, but I'm afraid those Southern barbarians will not agree to peace." Li Chuwen said, "Since the Treaty of Chanyuan, our country has gained a lot from the Southern Kingdom over the years. Why not return some to them? That should make them stop fighting." Upon hearing this, the Prince of Jin retorted, "The other day, the Western Xia sent a letter claiming that they have already captured several states of the Southern Kingdom. Moreover, the Southern barbarians have just..." " Even if we seize power, internal unrest is inevitable. Even if we negotiate peace, the Treaty of Chanyuan should be upheld, with the Southern Kingdom continuing to pay annual tribute. How can this be reversed?" Emperor Tianzuo, Yelü Yanxi, upon hearing this, waved his hand and said, "My son, do not argue. The situation is different now. The Jurchens are causing great trouble in the north. Our priority is to stabilize the Southern Kingdom. Giving them a little gold and silver is fine." He then turned to Li Chuwen and said, "Your eloquence is exceptional; go to Xiongzhou and make sure the Southern Kingdom ceases hostilities." Li Chuwen had no choice but to accept the decree. Seeing that Li Chuwen had accepted the decree, Emperor Tianzuo, Yelü Yanxi, without waiting for anyone else to speak, left the court. Before Li Chuwen could rise, the barbarian general Zhang Yang had released returned with news. Upon hearing that Zhang Yang only wanted gold and silver to ransom the prisoners and had no intention of raising an army, Yelü Yanxi hurriedly ordered his ministers to gather gold, silver, cattle, and horses. Upon hearing that the Celestial Empire demanded such a large sum of gold and silver, Prince Jin rushed to the palace to dissuade them. However, with Consort Yuan, the sister of Xiao Fengxian, present, he was instead reprimanded by Emperor Tianzuo, Yelü Yanxi, and expelled from the palace. ~~~~~~~~~~ Despite coughing, I've written another chapter. Please give me some votes; I seem to have the fewest votes on the recommended list. Chapter Thirty-Three: The Liao Envoy, Prime Minister Li Chuwen, was promoted by the powerful minister Xiao Fengxian. After becoming prime minister, he wholeheartedly flattered Fengxian. After receiving the emperor's task of raising the ransom, he began to plunder the people, and within a few days, he had raised the ransom. To welcome back their master as quickly as possible, they even used warhorses as payment for the oxen they couldn't find. After raising the ransom, Li Chuwen came to the palace to pay his respects to the emperor. Emperor Tianzuo, Yelü Yanxi, had been living in constant fear, ready to flee at any moment. Hearing that Li Chuwen was requesting an audience, he quickly had him summoned. Before Li Chuwen could even offer his greetings, the emperor asked, "How is the ransom preparation going?" Seeing the emperor's urgency, Li Chuwen skipped the formalities and bowed, saying, "It's all ready. I've come to take my leave." Emperor Tianzuo, Yelü Yanxi, finally breathed a sigh of relief and laughed, "You are indeed a capable minister. You've handled this matter well; I will surely reward you handsomely upon your return. I've heard that the Southern Emperor has also arrived at Ansu Army. After you go, it would be best if you could reach a peace agreement with him. I will give him 500,000 taels of silver and 10,000 horses annually. If you can reach a peace agreement, I will surely reward you handsomely upon your return." "Reward him." Li Chuwen's official rank had already reached the limit for Han officials; any further reward would be a noble title. Hearing this, he hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I will certainly do my best. Since the Southern Emperor loves money, I am confident that I can reach a peace agreement. Please rest assured. However, I am afraid that the Southern Emperor will demand the return of the Ansu Army Prefect and his entourage who escaped last time." Emperor Tianzuo, Yelü Yanxi, upon hearing this, hurriedly said, "Send all the Southerners who escaped last time to the Southern Emperor. If there are any other demands, try your best to grant them." Seeing that the Emperor had made such a promise, Li Chuwen felt reassured. He flattered the Emperor for a while longer before taking his leave. To avoid misunderstandings, Li Chuwen only took a thousand soldiers to escort the deserted officials, gold, silver, cattle, and horses. Upon arriving in Yizhou, he sent a messenger to inform the Ansu Army. After receiving Zhang Yang's oral permission to go south, he then led his men to the Ansu Army. The June sun was extremely scorching, and at noon, the ground was even hotter than usual. But outside Ansu Army City, a huge crowd had gathered. People from nearby villages, having heard of the Celestial Empire's great victory and the Liao Kingdom's large ransom payment, flocked to watch. "Li Zi, you're here too," a young man called out to another young man of similar age not far away.

The young man named Li Zi, recognizing his childhood friend Da Tou, squeezed to the front and said, "People from all around are here, how can we not join in the fun? So, I heard the emperor is in Ansu Army, have you seen him?" Da

Tou, hearing this, glanced smugly at the crowd around him and said, "Of course I have! The new emperor isn't much older than us, looks as refined as a scholar, and is quite amiable."

Li Zi shook his head and said, "You're not bragging, are you? I've heard the emperor is even more mighty than Zhang Fei, invincible in battle. He must look incredibly imposing; how can a scholar compare to the emperor?"

Seeing Li Zi's skepticism, Da Tou cursed, "Anyone who's bragging is a son of a bitch. The emperor even came to my house, saying that when I turn eighteen, I can join the army and kill the Liao dogs."

Seeing his serious expression, Li Zi couldn't help but ask curiously, "What did the emperor do at your house?"

“These past few days, the emperor has been checking if the people in the city have enough food. It just so happens that my former employer, Xu the Skinflint, ran off to the Liao Kingdom with that corrupt official, and I had nothing to do, so I stayed home. The emperor came to my house and even spoke to me. You, living outside the city, don't have that kind of luck.”

Li Zi, hearing this, looked at his playmate enviously and asked, “Will the emperor come out of the city later?”

Da Tou replied, “Our Heavenly Dynasty's emperor can't possibly come out of the city to greet the Liao dogs? You won't see the emperor today, but I heard the Liao dogs have taken away the traitorous officials…” "They've brought the big shots back. We'll smash their asses to death later."

Li Zi asked, "What are we going to smash them with?"

Da Tou patted his bulging pocket and said, "Stones, of course. Didn't you pack any?"

Li Zi shook his head and said, "I only know that the Liao dogs came to deliver money to ransom people, but I didn't hear that they brought back the corrupt officials."

Da Tou slapped Li Zi on the head and said, "That's why I say you're stupid. We'll smash the Liao dogs too."

Normally, Li Zi would have fought back, but having just heard Da Tou talk to the emperor, he felt that Da Tou's status was not... Li Zi was in the same boat, too afraid to retaliate, his face flushed red. He said, "Didn't the officials used to forbid offending the Liao dogs?"

Big Head said, "That was before, things are different now. Haven't you heard that our Heavenly Emperor is a god descended to earth? With him as emperor, what are we afraid of the Liao dogs for? Before, when those Liao dogs came to our territory, they put on airs, and those corrupt officials helped them. Now that the emperor has changed, we can

finally hold our heads high. Just smash them to pieces, and I guarantee the Liao dogs won't dare to fight back." Li Zi thought for a moment, still somewhat fearful, and whispered, "Who told you we can smash the Liao dogs? What if we smash them and then those soldiers arrest us?"

Big Head slapped Li Zi again and said, "You're just a coward. Let me tell you, it was a guard who told me when the emperor came to my house that day. Just stop when the horn sounds at the city gate. Look, many people in the city have already packed things."

Li Zi looked around and indeed, many teenagers and some adults were carrying things, some even carrying baskets filled with miscellaneous items.

Li Zi finally believed it and turned to Da Tou with a fawning expression, saying, "Brother, you're different in the city, you know everything. You must take good care of me in the future."

Da Tou raised his head even higher and laughed, "Of course, we grew up together. I'll definitely let you know if there's anything good."

Seeing him agree, a sly glint flashed in Li Zi's eyes, and he nodded, "Thank you, brother. Could you share some stones with me?"

Da Tou, who had been so smug, immediately said, "Why don't you go pick them up yourself?"

Li Zi looked at the dense crowd around him and said, "Go out now." " If we don't manage to get to the front soon, brother, please give me some stones."

To maintain his elder brother's dignity, Big Head reluctantly pulled a few stones from his pocket, gritted his teeth, and handed them to Li Zi, saying, "You'd better use them sparingly, and make sure you aim carefully before you shoot."

Li Zi put the stones in his pocket and nodded, "Definitely, definitely."

Li Chuwen led his troops ten miles outside the city when a troop of soldiers came galloping towards them. Mu Hong, at the head, shouted, "Drive the cattle and horses into the eastern enclosure; someone will be counting them there."

Li Chuwen saw that a large open area to the east had already been fenced off with wooden railings, so he directed the herdsmen to drive the cattle and horses into the enclosure.

Once the cattle and horses were in the enclosure, Mu Hong said again, "Give us the gold and silver, and you take the fugitives into the city first; someone will be there to greet you."

Although Li Chuwen was somewhat puzzled, he had no choice but to submit. He handed the carts loaded with gold and silver to the heavenly soldiers, sent the herdsmen back, and then led a thousand soldiers into the city.

Having just reached five li outside the city, they saw a sea of people lining both sides of the official road. Fortunately, soldiers were maintaining order on both sides, leaving only one path in the middle. Li Chuwen knew what the Liao army did on the border, especially after the Jin Dynasty rose up, when the court's finances were strained and military pay was insufficient, so raiding for provisions had become a daily drill.

Looking at the cheering crowds lining the road, Li Chuwen felt his body go weak, but thinking of the consequences of returning empty-handed, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and continue.

As he approached, Li Chuwen became more cautious and ordered the prison carts carrying escaped officials and wealthy families to lead the way.

As soon as the prison carts entered the crowds' firing range, a hail of stones flew everywhere. The lead cart of the former prefect was instantly covered with debris, and the Liao soldiers pulling it were driven back in panic.

Seeing this, the Liao soldiers behind dared not advance any further.

Just as Li Chuwen was hesitating, Mu Hong rushed over and said, "My emperor has ordered that you enter the city within two quarters of an hour, or else the Liao emperor will redeem you again."

Upon hearing this, Li Chuwen knew that it was too late to go through other city gates, and seeing the Heavenly Soldiers watching him intently from behind, he knew that if he retreated, they would probably leave him behind as well.

Seeing Li Chuwen's frightened expression, Mu Hong smiled and said, "I have a set of armor here that can protect you from stones. Would you like it?"

Li Chuwen, seeing Mu Hong's armor revealing only his calves and face, quickly replied, "Thank you for your kindness, General. I will repay you handsomely in the future."

Mu Hong smiled and said, "No need to wait until later. I see your horse is quite magnificent. How about we exchange it?"

Li Chuwen's horse was indeed a priceless steed, but as a civil official, he wasn't fond of horsemanship. Hearing this, he quickly dismounted and said, "Since the General loves horses, how could I refuse?"

Mu Hong didn't stand on ceremony. He had someone lead the steed, took a set of armor from a cavalryman behind him, and handed it to Li Chuwen, saying, "I hope the envoy won't find it too bright."

Li Chuwen took the armor and saw that it was actually a set of brightly colored leather armor. He was secretly furious but dared not show it.

While Li Chuwen was still in a daze, Mu Hong said again, "Time is running out. If the envoy doesn't hurry, the city gates will probably close."

Upon hearing this, Li Chuwen hesitated for a moment, but after Mu Hong reminded him several times, he still put on his brightly colored armor. He then ordered the coachman who had escaped back first to be beheaded, and coerced the other coachmen to escort the prison cart ahead, while he hid in the crowd and advanced.

The people, seeing those officials and wealthy families who usually acted arrogantly, could not suppress their anger and threw whatever they were carrying at him. Before long, most of the people in the carts were on the verge of death.

By the time the Liao soldiers appeared, there was very little debris in the air. Li Chuwen, in his brightly colored armor, became a laughingstock among the people. He endured the harsh laughter all around him for several miles. Just as he was about to take off his armor, he heard a long, solemn horn sound from the city gate, and the people on the roadside stopped pounding on him.

Seeing a troop of soldiers coming out of the city, Li Chuwen, without even taking off his armor, hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects.

The centurion, barely suppressing a laugh at Li Chuwen's comical armor, led him to see Zhang Yang. Upon

entering the government office, Li Chuwen saw the smiling faces of the guards around him and hurriedly said to the centurion, "Please allow me, General, to remove my armor, lest I offend the Emperor of this great nation."

The centurion, barely suppressing a laugh, said, "You are also an envoy of a nation, how can you wear such flashy armor? Take it off quickly."

Although Li Chuwen inwardly cursed the Celestial Empire for mocking him, he had to outwardly say, "General, you are right."

Entering the hall, Li Chuwen saw Zhang Yang in imperial robes and knelt, saying, "Li Chuwen, envoy of Liao, greets the Emperor of the Celestial Empire."

Zhang Yang said, "Rise. I have received the ransom. You can take your men back now."

Li Chuwen was surprised by Zhang Yang's efficiency and, remembering the Emperor's instructions, hurriedly said, "My country wishes to form a brotherly alliance with the Celestial Empire, offering 100,000 taels of silver and 10,000 horses annually."

Zhang Yang, however, did not want any alliance with Liao, and waved his hand, saying, "I am not in the mood to go north yet. Let your Emperor rest assured. You may leave."

Hearing that Zhang Yang would not go north for the time being, Li Chuwen was relieved and dared not say anything more.

Outside the room, Xiao Fengxian and the other prisoners were already waiting.

Li Chuwen hurriedly stepped forward to curry favor with his master.

Seeing them talking at the door,

Wu Song asked, "Do you intend to stay here?" Hearing this, Xiao Fengxian quickly led the others out.

Li Chuwen, thinking of the people outside the city and the lack of escaped prisoners to clear the way back, felt his legs go weak and said to Wu Song, "General, could you perhaps allow the people outside the city…?"

The matter outside the city was arranged by Wu Song at Zhang Yang's behest, and Wu Song smiled, "They've already gone home. If the envoy wishes them to escort you, I'll arrange it right away."

Li Chuwen quickly replied, "How could we trouble the general? We'll take our leave."

The soldiers, watching Li Chuwen leave in such a disheveled state, couldn't help but chuckle, remembering his appearance when he entered.

(Click to view image link: Lin Xuan, an undercover agent infiltrating an arms dealer group, transmigrates and possesses a body in the late Northern Song Dynasty, becoming a weak and incompetent young bandit leader. Facing twenty-odd emaciated henchmen and a dilapidated mountain stronghold on the verge of destruction, his bandit life begins in such a bleak way.) Will the arrival of renowned ministers and generals, outlaws and beauties alter the course of their lives? Let's see how a lowly bandit navigates the chaotic Song Dynasty...

URL 1:http://localhost:909/htmlBlog/6493.html

URL 2:/Blog.aspx?id=6493&aspx=1

Previous Page : [Fantasy] Water Margin Heroes (Complete) - 22-24

Next Page : [Fantasy] Water Margin Heroes (Complete) - 10-12

增加

comment Open a new window to view comments

Contact Information

[Fantasy] Water Margin Heroes (Complete) - 13-15

comment Open a new window to view comments