Chapter 200: The Return of the Sovereign

…

Before returning to Dongjing Bianliang, Zhao Yu gifted Yelu Yanxi, his "younger brother," many presents—such as the Peregrine Falcon he had once received himself, and numerous specialties of the Zhao Song dynasty—to thank him for his hospitality.

Zhao Yu also said to Yelu Chun, Xiao Changge, Xiao Fengxian, Zuo Qigong, and others:

"Your imperial dynasty, inheriting the nine generations of the Great Liao, rules amid a world of chaos. Your emperor's nature is open and unrestrained, not a ruler bound by petty formalities; he governs with broad-mindedness, demonstrating to the world grace and magnanimity;

He acts with decisive firmness. Though his state has suffered repeated misfortunes, he has repeatedly forged new paths amid crisis, resolute in preserving his realm, revealing the courage and strategy of a true sovereign. When ministers offer counsel, he humbly accepts it—even when he sometimes departs from their advice, it is only after deep deliberation and weighing the whole picture.

In military affairs, he personally leads troops into battle, possessing a martial spirit rare among emperors.

Though heaven's mandate has shifted and the state's fortune wanes, he alone has stood against me, repeatedly breaking through encirclements, striving to turn back the tide, revealing his loyal devotion to defending his realm.

Truly, though our two states' circumstances are vastly unequal, he still endures with unyielding will, refusing to yield—such tenacity is beyond ordinary men, sufficient to mark him as a hero of his age.

I shall speak plainly: had he not acted decisively in this crisis, I would have seized Yan-Yun Sixteen Prefectures and Pingzhou, Luan, and Yingzhou first, then turned toward your imperial capital, Dongjing, and Shangjing, to reclaim our Han lands.

Your dynasty's preservation of its ancestral temples and state is entirely due to his bold decisions."

Yelu Chun and the others never imagined that Yelu Yanxi, whom they saw as a great fool, appeared in Zhao Yu's eyes as so wise and heroic.

According to Zhao Yu, had Yelu Yanxi not acted with wisdom and proper response, Zhao Yu would have destroyed the Liao dynasty this time.

In other words, Zhao Yu attributed the salvation of the Liao dynasty entirely to Yelu Yanxi.

Moreover, from Zhao Yu's tone, he seemed to hold a certain admiration for Yelu Yanxi—as heroes recognizing heroes.

This left Yelu Chun and the others momentarily baffled: what exactly was Zhao Yu's game?

Generally speaking, an enemy's evaluation is often the most honest and objective.

Thus, Yelu Chun and the others—especially Yelu Chun—could not help but suspect Zhao Yu's motives: "Could the Emperor truly be as wise as the Song Zhu claims?"

Yet their memories of Yelu Yanxi were of a monarch obsessed with hunting and pleasure, indifferent to state affairs, often neglecting governance due to fleeting whims, leaving ministers deeply anxious.

Yelu Chun had countless times privately worried with his father, Yelu Heluowan, over the dynasty's fate, fearing Yelu Yanxi would squander the empire his ancestors had fought so hard to build.

Yet Zhao Yu had just delivered such praise to Yelu Yanxi.

Yelu Chun, unsurpassed in political acumen among this generation of Liao royalty, quickly understood: Zhao Yu was endorsing Yelu Yanxi to shield him from retribution—for losing this war, paying massive tribute and interest, and ceding Yizhou, Zhuozhou, Jinpo Pass, the Nine Prefectures Behind the Mountains, and the vital ally Western Xia—threatening his throne.

What the enemy desires, I shall not do; what the enemy does not desire, I shall do.

Yelu Chun could not help but wonder: "Does the Song Zhu's support for the Emperor's ascension stem not from goodwill, but from calculation: that if the Emperor remains on the throne, his chance of destroying our Great Liao may be greater than if another ruler took power? Is this not nurturing an enemy to strengthen oneself, hiding treacherous intent?!"

Not only Yelu Chun thought of this—Xiao Changge thought of it too.

Xiao Changge glanced at Yelu Chun from the corner of his eye, thinking: "When the late Emperor passed, had Prince Yue ascended the throne, emulating the Song Zhu's example, rising early and retiring late, striving to govern with vigor—within, punishing corruption and appointing the virtuous, distancing the petty; without, reorganizing troops, strengthening defenses, intimidating enemies with martial might—eradicating a century of decay, reviving the might of the Nine Borders—then perhaps our Great Liao's glory might have endured. How then could we now suffer territorial losses, pay tribute, send Jin Bo to ease hardship; marry princesses to secure peace, enduring humiliation to preserve the state?"

This was not merely Xiao Changge's thought—it was the thought of many Liao people.

Precisely because he understood this sentiment among the Liao, Zhao Yu spoke these words—to aid Yelu Yanxi, ensuring he remained emperor; otherwise, if the Liao emperor truly changed from Yelu Yanxi to Yelu Chun, Zhao Yu would face far greater difficulty reclaiming Yan-Yun Sixteen Prefectures.

And as long as the Liao emperor remained Yelu Yanxi, when Wanyan Aguda founded the Jin state and rose against Liao, Zhao Yu, if he seized the moment, could reclaim not only Yan-Yun Sixteen Prefectures, but even the steppes.

Thus, for Zhao Yu, it was most advantageous that Yelu Yanxi remain emperor of Liao.

But then again, even though Zhao Yu very much wished Yelu Yanxi to remain emperor, he could only help so far—anything more would not aid Yelu Yanxi, but harm him.

As Yelu Chun and his party left Zhao Yu's imperial pavilion, they met Xiao Pu Xian Nü, who had come to seek Zhao Yu.

Everyone present clearly saw that both Xiao Pu Xian Nü and Yelu Chun froze in surprise.

Especially when Yelu Chun saw that Xiao Pu Xian Nü now wore Han court attire and had styled her hair in the married Han woman's coiffure.

At this moment, Xiao Pu Xian Nü's robes fluttered, her hair high-coiffed, adorned with pearls and jade; her former cold beauty and martial spirit had softened, replaced by gentle grace; the eyes that once sparkled with the free spirit of the steppe now seemed veiled in a calm mist, obscuring their inner turbulence, signaling her transformation in status and heart.

Yelu Chun's gaze lingered on Xiao Pu Xian Nü for a moment—his expression complex, filled with shock, indescribable loss, and pain.

After a long while, he gave a slight nod in courtesy, yet could not conceal the turmoil within.

Xiao Pu Xian Nü merely cast a cool glance at Yelu Chun, the defeated man, then entered the pavilion to meet Zhao Yu.

Yelu Chun knew: Xiao Pu Xian Nü admired strength; she sought to marry a hero. He had not only lost the war against Zhao Yu—he had lost Xiao Pu Xian Nü to Zhao Yu. How could she ever look at him again?

Yelu Chun's heart churned with mixed emotions, yet he could only sink into silent sorrow and turn away.

Yelu Chun understood: between him and Xiao Pu Xian Nü now lay an insurmountable chasm—named "Defeat," named "Fate." To strive to reclaim her would be a delusion.

After Yelu Chun's party returned to Yanjing, Xiao Fengxian immediately informed Yelu Yanxi of Zhao Yu's evaluation of him.

Yelu Yanxi was overjoyed, telling his attendants: "Formerly, when I rode and hunted, all said I neglected state affairs—but they did not know I trained troops through hunting, upholding our ancestral ways. Only the Song Zhu understands my courage, strategy, and tenacity—thus, though I lost to him, I am not disgraced."

Feeling this was insufficient, Yelu Yanxi added: "Though Liao and Song are unequal in power, I have used strategy to halt war and preserve our ancestral temples and state—is this not the will of heaven?"

In truth, Yelu Yanxi knew he had suffered a crushing defeat—his throne might be lost—and so he began condemning the harms of his ancestors' 'Da Cao Gu': "Our Great Liao once plundered Han lands for wealth, livestock, and grain—appearing mighty, gaining temporary profit, yet sowing a century of evil, leading to today's territorial cessions, tribute payments, and marriage alliances."

Here, his tone shifted: "Now, I shall return all the Jin Bo seized by my ancestors to the Han people—this shall turn our swords into jade, forever binding Liao and Song in peace, sharing a glorious era of tranquility."

Yelu Yanxi's words brimmed with longing for the future, as if he already saw the people of Liao and Song living in harmony, sharing peace.

Even more unexpectedly, upon Xiao Fengxian's suggestion, Yelu Yanxi issued an edict: citing the preservation of Yanjing Circuit, Pingzhou Circuit, and the signing of a more equitable treaty with the Zhao Song dynasty, he declared a ten-day holiday to celebrate…

…

Leaving aside how the Liao celebrated their "victory," after settling all affairs in Yan, Zhao Yu led tens of thousands in triumphant return.

The distance from Xiongzhou to Dongjing Bianliang was roughly three hundred kilometers.

Normally, an army marches thirty to fifty kilometers per day; at this rate, the journey would take six to ten days.

Yet Zhao Yu's party took nearly a month.

The reason for their slow pace was not only the numerous ceremonial events along the way, but also because Zhao Yu personally visited key military strongholds in Hebei, conducting on-site inspections.

The recovery of Western Xia is imminent.

One might say, the recovery of Western Xia is already certain.

Once the Zhao Song dynasty recovers Western Xia, it will no longer need to station so many troops along its western frontier.

The next phase of Zhao Song's military focus will be Liao.

In the future, Zhao Song's defense against Liao will be divided into three parts.

The first will be the former Western Xia territories;

The second will be the soon-to-be-recovered Yun region—the Nine Prefectures Behind the Mountains;

The third part is Hebei.

Xi Xia and Yun Di both have natural defenses to hold.

The key point is, even if the Liao army breaches Xi Xia, the Zhao Song dynasty still has the six routes of Shaanxi to defend; even if the Liao army breaches Yun Di, the Zhao Song dynasty still has Hedong to defend.

Only Hebei is flat and open, with no natural defenses; once the Liao cavalry marches south, they will not take long to threaten the capital of the Zhao Song dynasty, Dongjing Bianliang.

Therefore, Hebei is the Zhao Song dynasty's weakness and also its primary defensive focus.

To strengthen Hebei's defense,

Zhao Yu plans to establish three defensive lines in Hebei, with four Prefects and four Military Governors.

The first defensive line is the Yizhou, Zhuozhou, Xiongzhou line.

The second defensive line is the four Prefects and four Military Governors.

First, Prefect Zhan Du of Zhongshan Prefecture, Military Governor Liu Fa—commanding the armies of Ding, Bao, Shen, Qi, Guangxin, Ansu, Shun'an, and Yongning states.

Second, Prefect Chen Gou of Zhen Ding Prefecture, Military Governor Wang Hou—commanding Zhen, Xiang, Xing, Zhao, and Ming states.

Third, Prefect Zhao Ding of Hejian Prefecture, Military Governor Zhe Keshi—commanding the armies of Ying, Mo, Xiong, Bei, Ji, Cang, Yongjing, Baoding, Qianning, and Xin'an states.

Fourth, Prefect Li Gang of Great Ming Prefecture, Military Governor Tong Guan—commanding the armies of Beijing, Chan, Huai, Wei, De, Bo, Bin, Di, Tongli, and Bao Shun states.

Zhao Yu demands that the four Prefects and four Military Governors actively transfer idle Western Army officers to Hebei and recruit brave, strong men from Hebei to fill the ranks, as part of frontier defense planning.

Zhao Yu intends to use these four Prefects and four Military Governors to establish a military organizational system in Hebei, through which to recruit soldiers and acquire horses, strengthen its strength, and thus consolidate and reinforce Hebei's defense.

This idea of Zhao Yu's was not formed on the spur of the moment; he had already discussed it with the court's civil and military ministers.

The Yellow River is the third natural defensive line.

Zhao Yu hopes that through such strengthened deployment, Hebei's defenses will become impregnable.

Of course, for now, this is still only an idea; after all, the people Zhao Yu wishes to appoint are mostly still in the northwest, helping the Zhao Song dynasty reclaim Xi Xia.

Right now, Zhao Yu is merely becoming familiar with Hebei.

After thoroughly surveying Hebei, Zhao Yu departed Hebei, escorted by Hebei's officials and generals.

The minister representative Zhan Du composed a poem titled "Pacifying Yan":

At the long pavilion, spring colors send off the hero; mountains and rivers glow red beneath the sun. Swords and spears sway at night beneath the willow moon; banners brush the morning breeze of apricot blossoms. When setting out, he resolved the plan to pacify the barbarians; upon arrival, he must achieve the merit of saving the world. Tell the officers and soldiers of Yanshan: peace lies within a smile and talk.

In the third year of Hongwu, on the nineteenth day of the first month, Zhao Yu's party returned to Dongjing Bianliang, victorious and triumphant.

Zhang Dun and others organized an extremely grand welcoming ceremony; officials and commoners of Bianliang lined up for ten li to greet them.

The welcoming ceremony was magnificent: gongs and drums thundered, flutes and pipes sounded, colorful banners fluttered, and the entire city of Bianliang was wrapped in a festive atmosphere.

All officials of the Zhao Song dynasty, from Zhang Dun downward, stood in formation to welcome them.

Zhao Yu, who had never set foot on a battlefield, wore armor, rode a magnificent steed, and looked majestic; behind him marched a large cavalry contingent and the stern, spirited Divine Mechanism Army, advancing in grand procession into Bianliang.

Zhao Yu arrived at the inner city's imperial palace and slowly ascended the Daqing Hall, returning to his dragon throne.

Inside the hall, incense smoke curled; Zhao Yu sat solemnly upon the dragon throne, his brow radiating an aura of sovereign authority that needed no anger to command. His gaze swept over the ministers below, each glance seeming to carry the weight of a thousand jin, making none dare meet his eyes.

All ministers noticed that Zhao Yu's demeanor upon this triumphant return was vastly different from before. Once, though emperor, he had seemed refined and scholarly. Now, he carried a sharp edge of killing intent and a steady, commanding aura—the unique quality forged by battle and victory.

Below the hall, ministers shouted "Ten Thousand Years!" in unison, their voices shaking heaven and earth.

Zhao Yu raised his hand slightly, his voice steady and powerful: "All ministers, rise."

Once all ministers had risen, Zhao Yu declared loudly: "This campaign succeeded thanks to your planning and assistance. I return with victories over the land and rivers, seeing the state secure and all industries thriving—all due to your loyalty in defending the realm. I am deeply pleased, and on this day, I shall reward merit to honor the faithful."

Zhao Yu wasted no words and immediately issued the edict on rewarding merit:

"During this campaign, I personally led the troops, defeated the Khitan multiple times, reclaimed the annual tribute and interest payments, and regained eleven states: Yizhou, Zhuozhou, Xin, Gui, Ru, Wu, Yun, Ying, Huan, Shuo, and Wei. This secures the lives of China's people and fulfills the ancestral will. This extraordinary achievement rests upon the court's strategy. Rewards must follow to recognize this distinction: Zhang Dun shall be appointed Grand Tutor and elevated to Duke of Chu; Ceng Bu, Han Zhongyan, Su Zhe, Cai Bian, and Guo Cheng shall each be promoted by two ranks or more, and granted honors and titles as per imperial grace; other meritorious individuals shall be fully accounted for and generously promoted…"

…

(End of Chapter)