Chapter 209: The Heavenly Sun Shines on You, Not on Me

…

On the very day that Accompanying Tong Guan was escorting Li Qianshun, the Western Xia imperial and clan members, along with the spoils taken from Western Xia, back to Dongjing Bianliang, Yun Region suffered an incident.

More precisely, Yunzhong Prefecture suffered an incident.

——Originally, after recapturing the Liao Western Capital, Zhao Yu renamed it Yunzhong Prefecture.

More than a month ago, Zhang Xun and Wang Shan led the Eastern Auxiliary Army to attack the Liao Western Capital; seeing the tide had turned, the Liao governor Xiao Chala had no choice but to open the city gates and surrender.

But Zhang Xun and Wang Shan were not satisfied with merely reclaiming Yunzhong Prefecture; they left only a detachment under their subordinate Xiang Chun to garrison Yunzhong Prefecture and monitor the surrendered Liao troops, while they led the main force to recapture Huanzhou.

Unexpectedly, taking advantage of Yunzhong Prefecture's vacant defenses, the Liao people there killed Xiang Chun and others, rebelled again, and began contacting other Liao groups, hoping to reclaim Yun Region on their own.

Notably, because the Liao people of Yunzhong Prefecture hated the Zhao Song dynasty's invasion of their homeland, and frankly, Xiang Chun's troops, who came from the Western Army, had poor discipline; after Zhang Xun departed to oversee military discipline, his men looted many households and committed numerous atrocities, provoking widespread outrage—the Liao people of Yunzhong Prefecture tore out Xiang Chun's heart and liver and divided them among themselves to eat, venting their hatred this way.

Upon learning of Yunzhong Prefecture's rebellion, Guo Cheng swiftly sent Zhong Pu with the Northern Auxiliary Army to suppress it.

Over thirty thousand Liao people of Yunzhong Prefecture formed camps west of the city and engaged the Northern Auxiliary Army in battle.

In the eyes of these Liao people, they were resting and waiting, outnumbering the Northern Auxiliary Army—they were certain they could win this battle.

But these Liao people overlooked one thing: when Zhao Yu returned in triumph, he left the Jing Sai Army under Guo Cheng's command.

Before Zhong Pu departed, fearful of trouble, Guo Cheng handed the Jing Sai Army over to Zhong Pu.

On this plain, heavily armored cavalry were an invincible iron flood.

The outcome was obvious: three thousand Jing Sai Army, with their unstoppable force, became the absolute masters of this battle.

As soon as the battle began, the Jing Sai Army surged forward like wild horses let loose, charging into the Liao ranks with irresistible momentum; each charge brought screams and routs from the Liao, and under their crushing advance, the Liao formation quickly collapsed.

Seeing this, Xiao Chala and others were terrified—they had never expected the Song army to possess such powerful heavily armored cavalry.

Originally, they believed their numerical advantage and the advantage of resting and waiting would let them easily defeat the Northern Auxiliary Army, but instead they suffered an unprecedented crushing defeat.

The Liao broke instantly, their will to fight dissolving rapidly.

Meanwhile, Zhong Pu commanded the rest of the Northern Auxiliary Army to coordinate, using bows, divine-arm crossbows, and other long-range weapons to slaughter Liao troops en masse.

On the battlefield, arrows fell like rain, the sound of bows and crossbows intertwining with the thunder of Jing Sai cavalry hooves into a nightmare the Liao would never forget.

After a one-sided massacre, the Liao scattered and fled.

The Northern Auxiliary Army pursued the victory, cutting down officers and seizing banners, chasing the Liao over thirty miles.

In this battle, over ten thousand Liao were slain.

Meanwhile, the former Liao commander of Yun Region, Geng Hong, commander of the Zhangguo Army, led seven thousand elite Liao cavalry from the Southwest Pacification Commission via Bai Dao Slope to reinforce Yunzhong Prefecture.

Unexpectedly, he was intercepted forty li east of Yunzhong Prefecture by Wang Shan's returning forces.

Wang Shan knew they had committed the error of greedily advancing too far; if they did not redeem themselves, the best outcome would be neither reward nor punishment—wasting a precious chance for promotion.

Thus, enraged, Wang Shan personally led the vanguard to attack Geng Hong first, slaying over a thousand heads.

Then Zhang Xun arrived with the main force of the Eastern Auxiliary Army; under Zhang Xun's command, the Eastern Auxiliary Army's center charged into Geng Hong's center, while other Song troops fired powerful crossbows from both flanks to kill the Liao.

In this battle, the Liao army was nearly annihilated; Geng Hong had no choice but to surrender.

Wang Shan despised Geng Hong and the other Liao people; he ordered all captured Liao, regardless of ethnicity, beheaded without exception.

Wang Shan had reason to be furious: his beloved general Zhang Gong died in this battle, trampled into pulp by warhorses, his death horrific.

Soon, Wang Shan and Zhong Pu met beneath Yunzhong Prefecture's walls.

After deliberating, Wang Shan led his troops to attack the eastern city wall; they built wooden palisades to shield against Liao arrows and stones, and constructed four-wheeled straw carts taller than the city walls, with Wang Shan personally leading his elite troops up the carts to storm the walls and engage in fierce combat with the defenders.

The Liao knew that if the Song recaptured Yunzhong Prefecture, they would face no mercy; thus, every Liao inside the city climbed the walls and fought desperately, refusing to retreat.

Seeing this, Wang Shan, in a fury, summoned his few remaining thunder bombs to bombard the walls.

Meanwhile, Zhong Pu attacked from the west.

Unexpectedly, on the western side stood a towering pagoda; Liao soldiers atop it shot down, inflicting heavy casualties on the Song troops.

Seeing this, Zhong Pu had an idea; he ordered the Jing Sai Army to advance, holding door panels above their heads, forcing their way to the pagoda's base; the Liao advantage weakened, and after several fierce assaults, they finally annihilated all Liao defenders on the pagoda.

Then Zhong Pu sent elite troops to climb the pagoda and fire down upon the city defenders, finally capturing Yunzhong Prefecture.

After the city fell, fearing unrest in Yun East due to its emptiness, Zhong Pu handed Yunzhong Prefecture back to Zhang Xun and Wang Shan and led his troops away.

After Zhong Pu left, Wang Shan, enraged by the Liao people's repeated rebellions, ordered cartwheels turned over and carried out a brutal massacre of the Liao in Yunzhong Prefecture.

Zhang Xun also believed the Liao of Yunzhong Prefecture were defiant and fickle, fearing the Zhao Song dynasty could not govern them well, so he condoned Wang Shan's actions.

When news of this reached Dongjing Bianliang, Zhao Yu issued an edict: Zhang Xun and Wang Shan each demoted three ranks, removed Zhang Xun from his post as Inspector of the Eastern Auxiliary Army, temporarily replacing him as Inspector of the Eastern Auxiliary Army; removed Wang Shan from his post as Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Auxiliary Army, temporarily replacing him as Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Auxiliary Army.

Logically, under these circumstances, Zhao Yu should have enacted policies to win the people's hearts and retain Yun Region's population, for population was a vital component of regional strength.

But Zhao Yu not only failed to issue any policy to retain Yun Region's people; he seized the opportunity to issue the Dress Reform Edict, the Hair Retention Edict, and the Han Script Edict.

The Dress Reform Edict, as the name implies, required everyone—Liao or Han—to switch from left-lapel to right-lapel clothing.

Left-lapel attire generally referred to the dress of non-Han ethnic groups beyond the Central Plains.

Han clothing had always maintained right-lapel design.

Thus, right-lapel became one of the symbolic markers of the Han ethnicity.

The Hair Retention Edict's full name was the Hair Retention Order.

Hu Ren preferred to shave their heads.

Han people believed the body, hair, and skin were received from one's parents and must not be damaged.

Thus, forcing these Hu Ren to keep their hair was a sign of their submission to the Zhao Song dynasty.

It must be clarified: the Hair Retention Edict meant exactly that—only those who kept their hair kept their heads; anyone who shaved their hair without cause would truly be beheaded.

The Han Script Edict mandated that all writing in Yun Region be changed to Han characters, and all other scripts were forbidden.

On this point, Zhao Yu did not go mad and destroy all other scripts in Yun Region, but he required Yun Region's officials to convert every visible text into Han characters; no other script of any kind was permitted to appear in Yun Region, or else punishment would be severe and unforgivable.

——Zhao Yu specifically issued an imperial decree ordering Yun Region's officials to collect all books, paintings, and steles bearing other scripts and send them to Dongjing Bianliang.

Writing was far more than mere symbols; it was the core bond sustaining ethnic identity and cultural inheritance.

Controlling the writing system was fundamentally the primary strategic act of spiritual colonization over conquered regions, its importance manifest in three irreplaceable dimensions: memory erasure, thought discipline, and power reconstruction.

Writing is the physical vessel of collective memory. Any civilization's historical narratives, religious beliefs, and technical knowledge require writing to transmit across generations.

When indigenous peoples can no longer trace their ancestors' glory through writing, their national pride and resistance will naturally dissolve due to memory gaps, clearing obstacles for conquerors to reconstruct historical discourse.

When the new generation can think only in the conqueror's script, cultural autonomy will quietly perish in the process of linguistic transformation.

The enforced uniformity of writing standards is not merely a transformation of language tools, but a re-encoding of societal value standards, ensuring the conquered continuously internalize the new power order through daily writing.

In the historical process of civilizational conflict, writing has always been the critical battlefield of conquest and anti-conquest. From Alexander using Greek letters to rewrite Near Eastern culture, to Britain promoting English education across the Indian subcontinent, the strategic value of destroying existing writing systems has been repeatedly validated by history. For conquerors, the eradication of writing is not merely a cultural downgrade, but a necessary precondition for establishing eternal rule.

Thus, Zhao Yu, who understood all this, issued such an imperial decree.

And since Zhao Yu issued this decree, those unwilling to submit to the Zhao Song dynasty naturally left Yun territory, heading to Yan territory, or directly northward to other regions of the Liao state.

Zhao Yu felt no regret over this.

For Zhao Yu knew that a nation's strength lies not in population size, but in the alignment of hearts and the cohesion of culture. He sought subjects who genuinely recognized the Zhao Song dynasty, willing to integrate into this land and jointly write a new chapter of history. Those who departed due to temporary policies may still harbor loyalty and nostalgia for the old state; their departure harmed no grand design, and instead made those who remained purer and more resolute in standing with the Zhao Song dynasty.

Put simply, military force can seize a region, but cannot fully conquer it—only cultural penetration and fusion can take deep root. The order to change clothing, the order to keep hair, the order to adopt Han customs—though seemingly harsh—were precisely meant to reshape the people of these newly reclaimed territories, gradually compelling them, from outward appearance to inner conviction, to accept and integrate into the Zhao Song cultural system.

This was a silent revolution, deeper and more complex than the swordplay of battlefields.

Not only in the Nine Provinces of Yun, but also in Ningxia, Gansu, and Qinghai, Zhao Yu issued identical orders.

…

In the sixth month of the third year of Hongwu, Accompanying Tong Guan returned in triumph, escorting Li Qianshun, the Western Xia imperial and clan members, and over ten thousand carts of spoils.

As rows of prison carts carrying Western Xia imperial and clan members, carriages transporting the daughters of the Western Xia imperial and clan families, and oxen, horses, and mules laden with spoils entered Dongjing Bianliang, the city walls fluttered with banners, as if cheering the victory. Streets thundered with gongs and drums, voices rose in clamor, and crowds surged to both sides, vying to witness this rare spectacle.

Soon, the streets were packed with spectators. They pointed and whispered, their faces glowing with reverence for their emperor and their army, and contempt for Li Qianshun and the Western Xia people.

Accompanying Tong Guan rode a tall steed, clad in splendid battle armor, holding a long whip, his expression stern. Behind him, soldiers sat atop towering horses, their bright armor reflecting dazzling light, their steps perfectly synchronized, as if each stride stamped forth the glory and power of the Zhao Song dynasty.

Li Qianshun sat inside the prison cart, pale-faced and vacant-eyed. Once a sovereign, now a captive—his fate's reversal was deeply tragic.

The daughters of the Western Xia imperial and clan families, though dressed in lavish garments, wore eyes filled with terror and despair. They would be taken to the palace, becoming new playthings of Zhao Yu, the Zhao Song emperor second only to Zhao Kuangyin.

The procession moved slowly, leaving behind dust and clamor—and the imprint of Zhao Song's conquest of Western Xia.

Before entering the imperial city, Accompanying Tong Guan dismounted first. He did not enter ahead, but had Liang Shicheng bring in Yelu Nanxian, the daughters of the Western Xia imperial and clan families, and the beauties he had carefully selected for Zhao Yu. Only after Huang Jingchen had taken away the spoils not destined for the state treasury (i. e., Zhao Yu's private property) did Accompanying Tong Guan personally escort Li Qianshun and the Western Xia imperial and clan members into the imperial city.

Arriving before the palace, Accompanying Tong Guan grew even more subdued. Following Zhao Yu's decree, he personally led four fierce generals to escort Li Qianshun into the Daqing Hall.

At the foot of the dais, Accompanying Tong Guan whispered to Li Qianshun: "You traitor, now that you face the true Son of Heaven, why do you not kneel and beg for mercy?"

On the journey to Dongjing Bianliang, Li Qianshun had already decided—he would be King Goujian.

"Goujian slept on firewood and tasted gall, endured humiliation and burden, waiting for the day he could rise again—and ultimately triumphed, defeating his enemy. Why cannot I?"

Though Li Qianshun knew the path to restoration was distant and thorn-strewn, he still clung to a flickering spark of hope, burning silently within.

So Li Qianshun slowly knelt and bowed: "Criminal subject Li Qianshun pays homage to Your Majesty, the Emperor of Great Song. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years."

Li Qianshun's voice was low, yet each word was clear, as if squeezed through clenched teeth, carrying resentment and suppressed endurance.

'He's still so young. Though determined to endure, he cannot fully conceal the fury, humiliation, and resentment within.'

Zhao Yu's voice, though quiet, carried a steadiness unnatural for his age: "Lift your head."

Hearing this, Li Qianshun slowly raised his head, which had remained bowed, meeting Zhao Yu's gaze.

This was the first time Zhao Yu and Li Qianshun had met.

Zhao Yu had not expected that Li Qianshun, his own age in this world, had already gone half-white with hair—clearly prematurely aged. It was easy to imagine the spiritual torment and devastating blow of national collapse he had endured.

Li Qianshun, however, had not expected Zhao Yu to be so young!

Li Qianshun felt dazed. Zhao Yu was so young it seemed unbelievable—his face bore some authority, yet could not hide his youthful vitality.

Li Qianshun could not help thinking, 'I have been defeated by a child.'

Then he remembered—he and Zhao Yu were the same age.

But the experience of falling from emperor to prisoner, and his current state as meat on the chopping block, made Li Qianshun feel decades older, while Zhao Yu still retained the freshness and vigor of youth—thus creating this illusion.

'Zhao Yu is a rising revitalizing sovereign; I am a fallen king whose sun has set. Same age, different fates!' Li Qianshun sighed with profound emotion.

Zhao Yu and Li Qianshun stared at each other for a long time, before Zhao Yu spoke, his words shocking: "Your Li clan's crimes are great and unforgivable. I intend to impose the ultimate punishment upon you as a warning to others. Do you have anything to say?"

"The ultimate punishment?!!!"

A flicker of panic crossed Li Qianshun's eyes—he had not expected Zhao Yu truly meant to kill him!

Yet Li Qianshun also felt Zhao Yu was right: given what he and his ancestors had done, he deserved such punishment.

But Li Qianshun could not bear it. He screamed inwardly, 'Can you not give me a chance to be Goujian?!'

Zhao Yu watched silently as Li Qianshun's expression shifted—resentment, fear, despair—emotions intertwining in his eyes, his face darkening and brightening as if an inner scale waged fierce battle.

After an indeterminate time, Li Qianshun slowly rose, staring directly at Zhao Yu, and snorted: "The sun shines on you, not on me!"

…

(End of Chapter)