Chapter 189: Last Night, Spring Waters Rose by the Riverbank

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Yelu Yanxi understood: Xiao Fengxian was telling him to give Xiao Pu Xian nv to Zhao Yu.

Clearly, this way, Yelu Chun would be unable to marry Xiao Pu Xian nv, could not form an alliance with her family, could not gain her as a wise and steadfast companion, and could not further strengthen his influence—not to mention that Yelu Yanxi himself could win Zhao Yu's favor, ensuring Zhao Yu showed leniency in the upcoming peace talks and withdrew his troops early, granting him and the people of Yanjing their freedom.

Xiao Fengxian's move was truly a two birds with one stone.

Yet, recalling Xiao Pu Xian nv's peerless beauty and her cold, disdainful demeanor toward him, Yelu Yanxi truly hesitated to give her to Zhao Yu, even though Xiao Pu Xian nv was not his woman, only a woman destined to become his aunt-in-law.

Moreover, giving a woman to an enemy—especially a woman of the imperial clan—was hard to justify, even if spoken of lightly.

Did you not see how the Zhao Song dynasty preferred paying annual tribute to enemies rather than marrying a princess in alliance?

In fact, Yelu Yanxi already regretted giving Xiao Sese to Zhao Yu as an outlet for anger.

After the initial panic, Yelu Yanxi and his ministers had realized: the Zhao Song dynasty had no interest in capturing people.

Think about it: Zhao Song was not like their Liao, nor like those tribes—its population was sparse and it relied on raids to grow. Zhao Song was a vast nation with over a hundred million people; it had no need to raid their Liao's population.

The Zhao Song dynasty had never once demanded beauties from them.

For the same reason: with so many people, how could Zhao Song lack beauties?

Thus, the high officials, scholar-gentry, wealthy families, merchant magnates, and tribal chieftains of Yanjing who had offered those three hundred young maidens of various ethnicities began to grumble: even if they had not provided Zhao Yu with these three hundred virgins, perhaps the Song army would not have breached Yanjing.

—They believed Zhao Song was a great power with higher civilization, unlike their steppe tribes, and would not, upon conquering a place, immediately seize women or extort them.

Based on this reasoning, Yelu Yanxi wondered: if he had not sent Xiao Sese to appease Zhao Yu, would the situation have changed? If so, would he not have made himself a petty villain for nothing?

Fortunately, Xiao Fengxian and those who had originally advocated giving Xiao Sese to Zhao Yu to defuse hatred and surrender women to preserve Yanjing argued: had they not swiftly recognized their error and handed over Xiao Sese—the root cause—as a face-saving gesture, and had they not proactively sent the three hundred maidens before Zhao Yu even demanded them, would Zhao Yu have refrained from sending the Song army to attack Yanjing?

This was an unprovable "chicken-or-egg" question.

But one thing was certain: evidence proved Zhao Yu was indeed fond of women.

After Xiao Sese went to Zhao Yu, Zhao Yu did not kill her—he simply slept with her without hesitation.

Moreover, Zhao Yu spent every night bedding those three hundred maidens.

Such gossip spread fastest; by now, it was common knowledge across both Song and Liao.

This forced Yelu Yanxi to issue an imperial decree declaring Xiao Sese dead of cold and fever—to no avail.

But it was useless, because everyone knew exactly where Xiao Sese had gone and what had happened to her.

Let's return to the matter at hand.

Although Xiao Fengxian dared not mention Xiao Sese, he constantly emphasized Zhao Yu's lust for women, insisting that only by catering to his desires could they stabilize Zhao Yu and secure his mercy toward Yanjing and them.

Even now, in proposing to give Xiao Pu Xian nv to Zhao Yu, Xiao Fengxian sought to cement Zhao Yu's reputation as a womanizer, to justify his earlier advocacy of surrendering Xiao Sese and the three hundred maidens, and to protect himself from future retribution.

Seeing Yelu Yanxi hesitate, Xiao Fengxian said: "This failure brings grave consequences. If Your Majesty loses the throne, all blame will fall on you—no one will mention how the Imperial Uncle and the Chancellor kept you in Yanjing and led to this. The only solution now is for Your Majesty to secure the throne, so you do not bear others' faults. Why spare another man's betrothed?"

When Xiao Fengxian said "another man's betrothed," he stressed the phrase, reminding Yelu Yanxi: whether Xiao Pu Xian nv became Zhao Yu's or Yelu Chun's concubine, she would never be his. What difference did it make to him?

Yelu Yanxi found Xiao Fengxian's logic sound: Xiao Pu Xian nv was not his—why should he care?

More importantly, giving Xiao Pu Xian nv to Zhao Yu would not only weaken Yelu Chun's power but, if handled well, could offset the damage caused by his surrender of Xiao Sese.

Imagine: if Yelu Chun also gave a woman, wouldn't Yelu Yanxi seem less pitiful?

Also, the phrase "Better to give to a friend than to a servant," which had drifted over from Zhao Song, resonated deeply with Yelu Yanxi.

But then again, Yelu Yanxi was Emperor—he could not keep doing such disgraceful things. So he told Xiao Fengxian: "This concerns state dignity and my own honor. We must act with caution."

Xiao Fengxian immediately understood: Yelu Yanxi had agreed—but he wanted to have his cake and eat it too.

Xiao Fengxian thought for a moment, then sent his younger brother, Xiao Baoxian, to handle the matter.

Coincidentally, the Song envoy had recently demanded Xiao Sese's belongings.

The Liao court took this seriously: they had gathered all of Xiao Sese's possessions and recalled her former maids, preparing to send them all to the Zhai Palace for Xiao Sese.

This was a perfect opportunity.

To Xiao Baoxian's surprise, upon arriving at the Zhai Palace, he saw Xiao Sese herself, far off, coming to collect her belongings and maids.

Though he had no chance to speak with her, Xiao Baoxian noticed Xiao Sese's complexion was excellent—her face smooth, rosy, and radiant.

Moreover, Xiao Baoxian heard Zhang Chun recite a poem: "Last night, spring waters rose by the riverbank; a warship, massive as it was, floated as light as a feather. All prior efforts to push it were wasted; today, it glides freely midstream…"

Upon hearing the poem, Xiao Sese covered Zhang Chun's mouth, silencing her.

Watching these two pregnant women playfully tussle, Xiao Baoxian felt profound sorrow: his own imperial consort, once the Liao's greatest beauty, now belonged to another.

Then he remembered his mission: to deliver the betrothed of his own Yue Kingdom Prince—now the Liao's greatest beauty, Xiao Pu Xian nv—to Zhao Yu. His stomach churned.

But their clan was bound too tightly to Yelu Yanxi: two of their sisters were his Empress and his Yuanfei; nearly every prince with a chance at succession was born to their sister, Xiao Guige; Xiao Fengxian had become Yelu Yanxi's top favorite. In short, as long as Yelu Yanxi remained on the throne, their family would never lack prosperity.

Under these circumstances, their clan must clear all obstacles for Yelu Yanxi—especially those threatening his imperial position.

The foremost among them was Yelu Chun.

Thus, from their clan's perspective, giving Xiao Pu Xian nv to Zhao Yu to undermine Yelu Chun's power and prestige was essential.

This was no time for feminine mercy.

So, while handing over Xiao Sese's belongings and maids, Xiao Baoxian feigned casualness and said to those around him: "Your Emperor has great fortune: Consort Wen was once our Liao's greatest beauty; now she still ranks among the top, only slightly surpassed by our own Yao Ge Niangzi…"

The speaker had intent; the listener had even more.

The official in charge of the handover had golden hair, golden eyes, and a mouth so wide it could swallow a fist. He was meticulous in appearance, his gaze sharp.

His surname was Wang, his given name Fu—the infamous Chancellor Wang Fu, one of the Six Evils in history.

He was also a graduate of this year's imperial examination.

Originally, Zhao Yu had hesitated over whether to admit Wang Fu.

But again: those who leave their names in history must have something.

Moreover, during the palace examination, Zhao Yu found Wang Fu's eloquence exceptional, his wit outstanding, skilled in flattery and adept at pleasing him.

Zhao Yu thought: if Wang Fu could become Chancellor, he must be more capable than ordinary officials, so he admitted him.

Zhao Yu feared sending Wang Fu out to cause harm elsewhere, so he kept him close as an attendant.

When Zhao Yu personally led this campaign, he brought Wang Fu along as a secretary for military affairs.

The highly ambitious Wang Fu had long been seeking opportunities to earn merit, hoping for promotion and rapid advancement.

But due to his low rank, Wang Fu could only handle menial tasks and never rose higher.

This made Wang Fu extremely anxious.

Now, hearing that Xiao Xianü was the most beautiful woman in the Liao Empire, and knowing Zhao Yu's fondness for women, Wang Fu keenly sensed this was an opportunity to please Zhao Yu.

Wang Fu promptly cultivated a close relationship with Xiao Baoxian, inquiring about Xiao Xianü.

To be honest, Xiao Baoxian truly did not believe Wang Fu could accomplish such a grand feat.

But Xiao Baoxian wanted to leak news of Xiao Xianü and needed someone to cooperate.

And Wang Fu, who had voluntarily come forward, was undoubtedly the best choice.

Thus, Xiao Baoxian and Wang Fu reached an immediate agreement, and Xiao Baoxian smoothly sold the news of Xiao Xianü to the Zhao Song court.

In truth, Xiao Baoxian did not know whether this act would prompt Zhao Yu to demand Xiao Xianü.

But because Yelu Yanxi was both hypocritical and indecisive, Xiao Baoxian could only try this "subtle" approach for now.

Coincidentally, just as Xiao Baoxian left, Zhao Yu summoned a group of advisors, secretaries, clerks handling official affairs, and document managers to bring experts to authenticate treasures sent by the Liao.

—Many of the treasures sent by the Liao were valuable items; Zhao Yu, currently not short of money, intended to keep them for himself.

Not long after, Wang Fu arrived at Zhao Yu's treasury with two elderly shopkeepers he had found from pawnshops.

Wang Fu stared hard.

Good heavens, within this not particularly large treasury, pearls, fine jade, coral, agate, glass, flowered rhinoceros horn, and tortoiseshell numbered in the thousands each.

Also present: golden armor and helmets, golden bridles, golden horse scoops, golden mallets and knives, golden ornaments, jade ornaments, flowered rhinoceros horn belts, golden belts, golden bound belts, jade bound belts, gilded belts, golden fish pouches, silver firepots, golden firepots, golden tables, silver folding chairs, golden boxes, golden water buckets, golden plates and bowls, golden pouring vessels, golden and silver spoons and chopsticks, golden soup vases, glass cups, glass stands, coral stands, agate stands, and countless more…

The experts immediately began diligently examining the items.

Wherever an item was confirmed as genuine, it was sealed in boxes and loaded onto carts, ready to be transported to Dongjing Bianliang.

As dusk approached, Zhao Yu, with nothing urgent to do, came with Zhang Chun, Li Lin, Li Chun, Xiao Sese, and others to take a look around.

Seeing this, Wang Fu quickly seized an opportunity to mention Xiao Xianü to Zhao Yu…

Had Wang Fu not mentioned Xiao Xianü, Zhao Yu might have forgotten this Liao Empress Dowager entirely.

Historically, Xiao Xianü's Northern Liao existed under dual threats from the Northern Song Dynasty and the Jin.

At that time, the Jin was rising, determined to destroy the Liao and expand its territory; the Northern Song sought to reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, eyeing the Northern Liao with hunger. The Northern Liao, however, was small in territory and weak in strength. Crucially, Yelu Chun, who founded the Northern Liao, died just months after ascending the throne.

Under this catastrophic beginning, the widow Xiao Xianü, thrust onto the political stage, swiftly executed the traitorous Li Chuwen and his son, stabilizing the internal situation of the Northern Liao court and preventing its rapid collapse from internal rebellion.

When the Song army advanced in force, she dispatched Xiao Gan and Yelu Dashi with twenty thousand Liao troops to confront the Song at the Lu Gou River, decisively defeating Liu Yanqing's hundreds of thousands of Song soldiers, fully demonstrating her military decision-making and talent for selecting capable officers.

When the Jin army attacked Yan, she sent troops to guard the Juyong Pass; though the pass ultimately fell due to fate, this proactive defense delayed the Jin advance to some extent.

Though Xiao Xianü ultimately could not alter the Northern Liao's fate under the Song-Jin pincer, and though she herself was executed by the great fool Yelu Yanxi, her efforts still revealed her political wisdom and courage, and laid the groundwork for the Northern Song's eventual downfall.

Perhaps had Xiao Xianü taken control of the Liao earlier, this resolute and courageous woman might have turned the tide, saved the collapsing Liao state.

Unfortunately, in history, Xiao Xianü assumed power too late, and the armies and resources at her disposal were far too weak.

Upon hearing Wang Fu mention Xiao Xianü, Zhao Yu's first thought was: this dangerous woman must not remain in Liao territory.

In fact, Zhao Yu had recently been considering how to lure away Yelu Dashi and Xiao Gan as well: "Even if I don't use them, I cannot leave them to the Liao."

Now, Xiao Xianü must be added to the list.

Zhao Yu planned to take all three—those who shattered the Northern Song's illusion of strength—in one bundle.

Thus, even if Zhao Yu failed to reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun this time, they would inevitably become his to claim.

No wonder Zhang Chun was Zhao Yu's mind reader.

While Zhao Yu was still pondering how to bring Xiao Xianü, Yelu Dashi, and Xiao Gan over, Zhang Chun immediately began paving the way: "Your Majesty, such a beauty is unworthy of Liao's possession—she ought to become one of Your Majesty's concubines."

Zhao Yu suspected that if Zhang Chun were a man, she would outdo even himself in extravagance—she would likely roam the land like Cao Cao or Temujin, seizing beauties everywhere.

Zhao Yu shook his head, erasing the image of Zhang Chun laughing wildly amid countless naked women, then said: "Our Great Song's relations with the Liao have stabilized. I wish to maintain this status quo; after our Western Army recovers Xi Xia, we will withdraw. At that time, demanding Xiao Xianü from the Liao seems inappropriate?"

Seeing Zhao Yu wanted Xiao Xianü yet feared provoking the Liao, Wang Fu thought: "My chance has come!"

Thinking this, Wang Fu prepared to volunteer to secure Xiao Xianü for Zhao Yu.

But someone beat him to it.

A voice beside them volunteered: "Your humble servant Cai You begs to relieve Your Majesty of this burden…"

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(End of Chapter)