Chapter 861: The Liao Emperor Hunts South

On the way back to Changping after the "hunt" in the south, they traveled slowly, the sturdy horses restrained from their urge to gallop by their masters. Zhao Siwan's expression was heavy and cold, his black eyes tinged with contemplation, as if still sketching out his grand enterprise in his mind.

The personal guards around him silently followed and protected him. Though only a dozen or so, their daily training was etched into their bones. Deployed in marching formation, scouts, guards, and rearguard had clear divisions of duty, coordinating in an orderly fashion—the very picture of elite quality.

"General, are we really going to cooperate with the Khitan?" Finally, before turning onto the main road, seeing Zhao Siwan snap out of his reverie, the trusted officer at his side could not help asking.

Facing the question, Zhao Siwan tilted his head to look at him, slightly curious: "Have you ever seen me make a decision and then regret it?"

Hearing this, the officer said: "I know the General's will is firm, and we fear nothing—fighting the Khitan, even marching south to fight the court, we have no objections. But allying with the Khitan, betraying the Prince of Yan, is that not..."

Seeing the conflicted look on his face, Zhao Siwan did not grow angry. Instead, his gaze softened, and he asked: "Zhao Yan, how long have you followed me?"

"Counting from the third year of Kaiyun of the Shi Jin, eleven years in total!" The officer named Zhao Yan recalled for a moment, then said seriously.

"Eleven years. The beardless youth of those days is now a father, with achievements and reputation!" Zhao Siwan said with emotion, but his tone suddenly turned harsh: "I gave you your name. All these years we have braved life and death together—from Youzhou to Kaifeng, from Guanzhong back to Youzhou! On the battlefield, through mountains of blades and seas of fire, through life and death, you have never questioned my decisions. And now, you actually dare to raise objections?"

"General, that's not what I meant, I—" Seeing Zhao Siwan's displeasure, Zhao Yan immediately began to explain.

However, Zhao Siwan did not give him the chance to continue speaking. With a flash of blade light, a fine head flew into the air. Blood sprayed from the headless corpse as it was carried forward by the fine steed beneath it. Zhao Yan's hand only instinctively reached for the saber at his waist, frozen on the hilt.

This sudden attack startled the surrounding guards, who looked at Zhao Siwan at a loss. Zhao Siwan, however, remained expressionless. He reined in his mount, took a silk cloth from his bosom, wiped the blood spattered on his face, then leisurely wiped his steel blade before slowly returning it to its sheath.

Gathering the accompanying soldiers together and sweeping his gaze over them, Zhao Siwan said coldly: "You are all brothers-in-arms who have followed me for many years. I regard you as my own hands and feet, entrusting you with my life. I will say this only once.

Those who accomplish great things do not fuss over trifles! For the sake of our future wealth and honor, our life and death, our glory and shame, from now on you must be single-minded, obey my every word, and together build our great enterprise. Once the great deed is done, I will not betray you! Do you all understand?"

"Yes!" The group answered in solemn unison.

Looking at Zhao Yan's corpse, Zhao Siwan's expression was indifferent. He waved his hand: "Dispose of the body cleanly. When we return, say that Zhao Yan accidentally fell into the mountains and his remains were never found! Also, send his family 200 strings of cash and 100 bolts of silk, to honor the bond of many years. Though his head was muddled and he could not share my purpose, I do not blame him!"

Soon, another corpse was added to the wilds of Changping. When they set out again, Zhao Siwan's demeanor grew even more sinister. Thinking of his meeting with Xiao Husi, a disdainful smile curled at the corner of his mouth. He could see that although Xiao Husi had not directly agreed, he was clearly tempted.

He, Zhao Siwan—if even Zhao Kuangzan was inclined to turn against them—how could he truly serve the Khitan? In the end, it was all about using Khitan power to profit himself. In his view, no matter how strong Liao was, destroying the current Great Han was basically impossible.

However, with control of the northern passes, with his cooperation, capturing Youzhou and breaking through the Great Han's Hebei defense line, seizing a portion of Hebei's territory—that should not be too difficult.

And given the Han Emperor's temper and strength, he would surely resist with the whole nation. With Han and Liao locked in stalemate and bitter fighting, the Khitan would have many needs for him. The Han-Liao conflict would surely be the opportunity for Zhao Siwan to rise. By then, not to mention becoming a regional hero—even claiming kingship and hegemony was not impossible.

Zhao Siwan's vision for the future, his grand blueprint, was still painted quite beautifully in his mind.

On the Liao envoy Xiao Husi's side, after leaving Juyong Pass and returning to Liao territory, he quickened his pace back to court. However, he did not head north to Shangjing, but turned west toward Yunzhou, because the Great Liao's Emperor Yelu Jing was currently hunting at Yunzhou.

In the past two years, the frequency of Yelu Jing's outings had noticeably increased—inspecting the cities, tribes, and troops under his rule. Of course, the main purpose was still to satisfy the Liao Emperor's hunting desires. Liao's territory was vast, with no shortage of suitable hunting grounds. These two years he had toured many places. Whatever the original intention, the successive inspections had indeed had some effect in maintaining Yelu Jing's rule, consolidating his position, and intimidating the disobedient among the various tribes. And at every place he went, local troops accompanied the Liao Emperor on his hunts.

Because the Emperor was on tour, local officials, nobles, and chieftains mostly amassed wealth and goods to supply his enjoyment, to the point of oppressing the people excessively, arousing popular resentment. Later, hearing of this, Yelu Jing issued an edict: when the imperial hunt traveled, local officials were to receive and supply the entourage but must not disturb the people, nor engage in extortion in the name of serving the imperial visit.

Though fond of amusement, Yelu Jing had always been quite lenient toward the ordinary tribesmen of Liao. If he could reduce his playfulness a little and devote more energy to governing the state, easing internal conflicts, and developing politics and military affairs, Liao's strength would have risen further.

Last year, Yelu Jing had even gone to the former Bohai territory and stayed for two months, drinking and hunting, thoroughly enjoying the products and customs of that prosperous eastern state. However, hunting south to Yunzhou was the first time since Yelu Jing had ascended the throne. Hence, Yelu Jing's spirits were very high.

Since the founding of the Khitan state, its political and military systems had been continuously sinicizing. From Yelu Abaoji and Yelu Deguang to Yelu Ruan, all had played important driving roles. The four years of Yelu Ruan's reign had been a major acceleration, which sharpened the internal contradictions between the Hu and Han, ultimately triggering a backlash.

In the Huoshen Lake Rebellion back then, beyond the factor of power, at its essence, the reason Yelu Chage could gain the support of so many Khitan nobles and successfully kill Yelu Ruan was that Yelu Ruan's sinicization reforms and his admiration for Han ways had infringed upon the interests of the Khitan nobles. The mutiny was merely the most intense and direct manifestation of the backlash.

After Yelu Jing came to power, mindful of this, he reached a certain compromise with the Khitan imperial clan and nobles within the state. He abolished a series of radical sinicization policies formulated by Yelu Ruan that did not suit the national conditions, demoted many Han ministers, and genuinely implemented separate governance for Hu and Han.

It could be said that the years of Yelu Jing's reign were a stagnation or even regression in Liao's sinicization process. However, it cannot be denied that it eased internal contradictions and contributed to the stability of the state.

Sinicization was an effective measure for strengthening national power, consolidating the foundation of rule, and enhancing the state's fortunes—but it also had to be based on actual national conditions. Regardless, as an empire of the steppe, the Khitan and the various tribes were the foundation of Liao's rule.

Of course, in the Yun-Shuo region and Monan ceded by the Shi Jin, as well as the Liaoxi and Liaodong areas, Liao still maintained a highly sinicized form of governance. Yunzhou was a major hub for Liao's southern affairs concerning the Han, the political and military center of Liao's south, where the Great King of the Southern Division, Yelu Talie, had been stationed for many years.

The place Yelu Jing hunted this time was White Mountain in the east of the central city. As a famous historical site—where Modu had surrounded Liu Bang, the founding emperor of the Han—Yelu Jing intended to pay homage to the ancient site.

In fact, this also made many Liao ministers familiar with southern historical texts cannot help but imagine: was the Liao Emperor hinting at something? After all, in these years while they had not looked south, the Great Han to the south had been in turbulent upheaval, with dramatic changes in the situation. And the Northern Han—there had been a period when it acknowledged Liu Bang as its ancestor...

For a hunting enthusiast like Yelu Jing, what prey was more worthy of pursuit and encirclement than an enemy state and an enemy ruler? With the great enemy to the south, a monarch fond of the hunt was not necessarily without such ambitions.

Accompanying Yelu Jing on his southern hunt was still the imperial bodyguard, the Pishi Army. Back when Yelu Chage rebelled and killed Yelu Ruan, it was under the leadership of Yelu Wuzhi, then Xiangwen of the Pishi Army, that order was restored, the rebel forces eliminated, and Yelu Jing was supported onto the throne.

Because of that connection, after Yelu Jing ascended the throne, he treated the Pishi Army with great favor. Over the years, besides suppressing internal rebellions, he had spared no effort in strengthening his control over the Pishi Army. He promoted many trusted confidants, eliminated the control of nobles like Yelu Wuzhi, and simultaneously increased its strength to over forty thousand men, guarding the Emperor's traveling residence.

The Emperor hunting with tens of thousands of elite troops in attendance—perhaps only a steppe empire like Liao could afford such a spectacle.