Chapter 14: The Grand Discourse

On this spring night, atop the long bridge, Liu Chengyou's floodgates had fully opened, as if he wanted to pour out in one go everything he had kept bottled up inside since his transmigration. His cold, aloof face gained a few lively touches of color as he spoke eloquently, endlessly. Seeing his second son gesturing like he was directing the realm, Liu Zhiyuan quietly played the role of listener.

"In the afternoon, after the hall council, I specially invited General Wang Xiufeng to the residence to consult him on matters of the Central Plains and the Khitan, and I gained much from it!" Speaking with growing excitement, Liu Chengyou couldn't help adding small gestures, waving his hand in the air a few times: "General Wang concluded that the Khitan are not as difficult to deal with as imagined—they surely cannot hold the Central Plains, and will retreat north before long!"

"Tell me more!" Liu Zhiyuan's face still showed keen interest.

Liu Chengyou's enthusiasm was clearly rising too. He stood up directly, paced a few steps before his father and elder brother, and said: "What Father fears most is Yelu Deguang and those three hundred thousand Khitan troops. Three hundred thousand men—what a formidable force that is! Yet upon careful analysis, it's not so terrifying after all!"

"The Khitan claim three hundred thousand, but how many are actual fighting men, and how many are elite? Coming south, before the Battle of Hutuo River, the road was no smooth path—fighting all the way, their ranks were thinned and never restored to full strength. The lands of Ji and Zhao are vast; in every prefecture and county they passed, they left troops behind to control the localities, and in strong cities and fortresses like Zhenzhou, they stationed heavy forces to protect their line of retreat."

"After entering Bianliang, they again dispatched troops in all directions to plunder, sending forces to Guanzhong and Heyang as well. With hundreds of thousands of men scattered across the various prefectures, devoted solely to looting and enjoying the splendor of the Central Plains, their morale is bound to sag."

"But none of this is the most important thing. The Khitan's tyranny and cruelty will surely provoke repeated resistance from the scholars and commoners of the Central Plains—of that there is no doubt! Yelu Deguang sits atop a blazing fire at this very moment without knowing it. He relies on the strength of his three hundred thousand barbarian soldiers, but he does not know that when the fury of the Central Plains people erupts, it will be enough to shatter him to pieces."

"The hundred thousand surrendered Jin soldiers have suffered harsh treatment and suspicion, constantly threatened with death; they harbor rage and have long voiced complaints. Though men like Du Chongwei and Li Shouzhen keep them suppressed, those two's moral character has long been held in contempt by all. According to General Wang, the surrendered soldiers mostly detest them for surrendering without a fight and aiding the tyrant. Those hundred thousand troops are no longer a help to the Khitan in controlling the Central Plains—at this point, they have become a lethal threat at their very bedside!"

"The massive extortion of wealth has gradually alienated even the former ministers of the Later Jin who had attached themselves to the Khitan. Of the military governors who came to pay homage and submit, some died, some were humiliated, and the rest are mostly confined in Bianliang, no longer allowed to return to their garrisons. The governors detained in Bianliang—men of outstanding seniority, ability, and prestige like Gao Xingzhou and Fu Yanqing—are deeply feared by Yelu Deguang, and they likely harbor regret over submitting to the Khitan. Having lost the hearts of the governors, there's no hope of peace in the provinces."

"And the military governors in the various regions still hold considerable strength—as long as someone takes the lead in resisting the Khitan, they will surely rise up in response."

"If Father raises an army in Hedong, he may only need to send out a few tens of thousands of troops, but standing behind him will be millions of soldiers and civilians across the Central Plains and Hebei."

"Moreover, the ice and snow have already melted, the weather is warming, and the Khitan soldiers, having marched thousands of li from home, are bound to suffer from acclimatization. Once the scholars and commoners of the Central Plains rise up together and attack in concert, how could Yelu Deguang possibly remain for long?"

"......"

After this grand discourse, Liu Chengyou had stirred even his own emotions. He let out a long breath, slowly calming his surging heart, then sat back down beside his father and elder brother.

Liu Zhiyuan and Liu Chengxun both gazed at Liu Chengyou, who was gradually returning to his withdrawn state, their expressions somewhat complicated. After digesting what Liu Chengyou had said, Liu Zhiyuan softly sighed: "These aren't all things Wang Xiufeng taught you to say, are they......"

"Your son speaks recklessly; if there are any omissions or improprieties, please forgive me!" Liu Chengyou lowered his head slightly, striking a humble pose.

Staring at Liu Chengyou for a long while, Liu Zhiyuan suddenly stroked his beard and said with emotion: "I never imagined my son would have such insight—my heart is truly comforted!" As he sighed, his peripheral gaze couldn't help sweeping toward his eldest son beside him.

Looking up at his surroundings, the bridge over the middle city was even quieter now. Bracing his hand against the ground, he made to rise. At that moment, Liu Chengxun immediately hurried over and helped Liu Zhiyuan to his feet.

"It's late—let's all return to the residence and rest!" He left those words without saying more, and under the escort of his guards, Liu Zhiyuan walked off slowly ahead.

Liu Chengyou and Liu Chengxun descended the bridge together. Liu Chengyou continued in his withdrawn silence, and Liu Chengxun likewise did not proactively strike up conversation as he once had. As he stepped onto the carriage, Liu Chengxun still couldn't help glancing toward his second brother's direction, his expression especially complicated......

What Liu Chengxun did not know was that, inside the carriage he was gazing at, through the gap in the curtain, Liu Chengyou was also watching his figure. The difference was that Liu Chengyou's face bore no so-called complicated expression—only indifference.

Since that day's hall council, in the city of Jinyang, the undercurrent called "urging the throne" had grown ever more turbulent. On this matter, the civil and military officials of Hedong were, for once, of one mind from top to bottom, working together to lift Liu Zhiyuan onto the imperial throne.

But Liu Zhiyuan's attitude remained inscrutable—neither agreeing nor refusing, simply keeping a cold face and giving no response. Afterward, he went so far as to hand over all military and political affairs to his subordinates, ceasing to handle matters himself, instead sequestering himself in the Prince of Beiping's residence, keeping company with his wife Lady Li, and personally tutoring the third son of the Liu family, Liu Chenghsun.

Liu Zhiyuan could sit calmly on his fishing rock, but the civil and military officials below were by no means stopping their activities, actively gathering and networking. For a time, the city of Jinyang actually appeared quite chaotic.

Among the civil and military officials of Hedong, there was no shortage of clever men. Veterans who had followed for long like Yang Bin, Wang Zhang, and Guo Wei, as the situation developed, had likely guessed Liu Zhiyuan's intention to wait and watch, and unlike the more impetuous lower ranks, they did their best to soothe and calm things down.

Newcomers like Wang Jun, eager to render distinguished service, found some literati and rushed about the streets and markets, loudly proclaiming everything they had seen and heard on their diplomatic mission, exposing the Khitan's atrocities to the public, and vigorously promoting the "Khitan threat theory," claiming the Khitan army could march on Hedong at any moment.

Of course, the core message was that the realm needed a hero to drive out the barbarians, restore the rivers and mountains, and remake the world—and that hero could naturally only be Lord Liu of Taiyuan!

Wang Jun's approach was very clever, just as Liu Chengyou had said in their face-to-face conversation that day—General Wang Xiufeng was a clever man. At least, before he had achieved fame and success, before his character flaws were exposed, Wang Jun was indeed a very clever man. He played the game of building momentum very smoothly.

Within two days of Wang Jun's return from his mission to Bianliang, Bai Wenke, the Deputy Defender of the Northern Capital who had also gone south to pay homage, returned as well. Compared to Wang Jun, his round trip had been much faster—and likewise, he looked even more bedraggled.

The old general, past seventy, still looked hale and hearty. Ignoring the fatigue of the journey, covered in dust, he went directly to see Liu Zhiyuan to report on his diplomatic mission.

Liu Zhiyuan, meanwhile, was in his study secretly receiving reports on military affairs from Liu Chong, Liu Xin, Shi Hongzhao, Guo Wei, and others. The two Liu brothers were also present, and Liu Chengyou gave an account of the Longqi Army's situation as well.

Ordering his attendants to help Bai Wenke sit down, Liu Zhiyuan asked: "Lord Dewen, how went your journey to Bianliang?"

Bai Wenke first expressed his thanks, then shook his head, his deeply lined old face carrying a note of lament: "The Khitan's governance is in chaos—I fear they cannot remain long in the Central Plains! I observed the Khitan ruler's enthronement ceremony in full—it was a scene of gloom, utterly lacking the flourishing spirit of a new dynasty's founding."

"The same conclusion as Wang Jun's!" Liu Zhiyuan remarked.

Bai Wenke continued: "When I left Bianliang, the Khitan ruler asked me to bring you a message!"

"Then I would certainly like to hear it!" Liu Zhiyuan appeared very relaxed.

"The Khitan ruler said: since the Great King serves neither the Southern Court nor the Northern Court, what exactly is he waiting for, and what exactly does he intend?" Bai Wenke said.

"Heh heh......" Liu Zhiyuan chuckled upon hearing this, glancing at the officers present: "It seems this Khitan ruler has little patience left for me and Hedong!"

"Great King, this kind of questioning shows his suspicion—there is no longer any road of retreat!" It was Guo Wei again, responding with great alacrity: "Based on the words of Wang Xiufeng and Lord Bai, the Khitan are greedy and cruel and cannot hold the Central Plains for long. Please hesitate no longer!"

Liu Zhiyuan still gave no response.