Chapter 283: Decisive Action

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Zhao Liangsi, Ma Zheng, Ma Kuo and his father, and interpreter Hu Yanqing, among others, were ordered to accompany the Jin envoys Helu and Dadiwu on a mission to Jin to enfeoff Wanyan Aguda as Great Saint Emperor.

Zhao Yu specifically instructed that Zhao Liangsi's party travel to Jin aboard five treasure ships, carrying five ships of glass, porcelain, soap, silk, tea, spices, white sugar, woolen textiles, ivory, rhinoceros horn, gems, pearls, and other goods, along with daily necessities such as pots, bowls, ladles, and basins, some Song military equipment, and various fruits and vegetables that could be stored for long periods, escorted by the Pinghai Army.

Of the envoys Zhao Yu sent this time, aside from Zhao Liangsi, who was a scholar, all others—Ma Zheng, Hu Yanqing, and even the fourteen-year-old Ma Kuo—were of military background.

Before departure, Zhao Yu had issued secret orders to these men: if the Jurchens dared attack the embassy, they must act decisively against them; victory would be rewarded, defeat would be punished by execution.

This was not Zhao Yu seeking to provoke conflict, but because the Jurchens were inherently savage, revering only strength; if you showed them respect, they took it as weakness to be exploited; if you struck them—even killed them—they would come to fear and revere you.

In other words, dealing with such savages as the Jurchens using the rituals of a civilized state was useless; they responded only to the Han envoy's way—overpowering them by force to win their sincere submission.

Zhao Yu understood that this mission concerned not only the dignity of the Zhao Song dynasty, but also a deep probe into Jin's intentions, determining the future trajectory of relations between the two states; thus, the delegation's composition displayed both Zhao Song's wealth and civilization and the deterrent power of its military.

After several days of rough seas, Zhao Liangsi's party finally sighted the Liaodong coastline, where a vast expanse of silvery-white sand stretched along the shore.

Zhao Liangsi asked Helu and Dadiwu: "Where are we?"

Dadiwu replied: "This is the state boundary of Suzhou, but I don't know the name of this bay. Such bays are everywhere, all looking much the same."

As they drew closer to shore, Zhao Liangsi prepared to tell Hu Yanqing to launch small boats to find a suitable port for landing.

On the other side, Hu Yanqing was also preparing to send out several small boats to locate a landing site.

Suddenly, from behind a cluster of black rocks on the eastern beach, a group of Jin patrol soldiers emerged—some fifteen men—who shouted at the Zhao Song fleet in unintelligible cries.

Everyone on the ships noticed this group of Jin soldiers.

Ma Zheng asked: "What are they saying?"

Helu said: "They're ordering us to dock immediately. Don't worry—I'll negotiate with them."

Zhao Liangsi said: "Good."

Before Helu could speak, however, arrows from the Jin soldiers thudded into the ship—*puff, puff*—one arrow whistled past Dadiwu's ear, turning his face deathly pale: "Oh my!"

Seeing this, Hu Yanqing recalled Zhao Yu's pre-departure orders and commanded: "Return fire!"

At Hu Yanqing's order, the crossbows on all five treasure ships fired simultaneously!

In an instant, dozens of "short spears" shot forth!

The bolts used by the crossbows had wooden shafts and iron fletching, known as "One Spear, Three Swords Arrows."

These arrows were in fact spears (lances) with fletching, possessing immense destructive power.

To be honest, using dozens of crossbows to target just a dozen Jin soldiers was like using an anti-aircraft gun to shoot mosquitoes.

The Jin soldiers were instantly overwhelmed by this sudden, ferocious assault, collapsing one after another—some pierced through the body and fell into pools of blood; others were pinned to the ground by the spears, screaming in agony. The beach erupted into chaos, the cries of the Jin soldiers mingling with the whistling of arrows, forming a gruesome scene.

Helu and Dadiwu, upon seeing this, turned pale.

Helu immediately shouted in Jurchen, trying to halt this unnecessary conflict.

But the Song troops acted too swiftly; after just one volley, of the dozen or so Jurchen soldiers, only two remained alive—the rest were dead or wounded.

Seeing this, Hu Yanqing ordered the Song soldiers to cease firing and to remain alert, ready to respond to any larger-scale conflict.

Ma Zheng, tall and burly, with a stern and confident face, had fought on the northwestern frontiers and endured life-or-death trials. Now, gripping his sword hilt tightly, his eyes blazed as he scanned the surroundings, guarding against any surprise attack by Jin soldiers.

Ma Kuo, though only fourteen, showed no fear; standing beside his father, his gaze was resolute, ready to join the battle at any moment.

Zhao Liangsi frowned deeply, silently thinking: "I hope Your Majesty's judgment of the Jurchens is correct."

Helu and Dadiwu had never expected the Zhao Song people to act so decisively and forcefully. In their understanding, Zhao Song subjects were always known for their refinement—even military officers emphasized civil virtue alongside martial prowess, rarely displaying such thunderous, unyielding resolve.

Dadiwu's face was ashen, his hands clenched tightly, visibly shaken into speechlessness by the sudden violence. Beside him, Helu quickly regained composure, gesturing for the two remaining Jin soldiers to retreat immediately, avoiding further casualties.

Zhao Liangsi, though internally stirred, maintained the calm composure of a scholar. He slowly walked to the ship's rail and said to Helu: "Ambassador, do not be alarmed. We did not intend to provoke conflict; it was merely that these men fired arrows without cause, nearly injuring the vice-envoy—General Hu Yanqing ordered retaliation in self-defense, out of necessity."

Helu's expression eased slightly, yet suspicion lingered in his eyes. He understood the importance of this mission and did not wish a minor clash to ruin the atmosphere of peace talks between the two states. He forced calmness, spoke rapidly in Jurchen to the remaining soldiers, then turned to Zhao Liangsi and said:

"Ambassador Zhao, do not worry—this must be a misunderstanding. We are willing to explain and guarantee such incidents will not recur. Please order your ships to halt, and allow us to go ashore for detailed talks, so we may resolve this matter swiftly."

Zhao Liangsi nodded, signaling Hu Yanqing to halt the ships and dispatch small boats to ferry Helu, Dadiwu, and others ashore.

As Helu and Dadiwu stepped onto land, a squad of Jurchen patrol soldiers quietly rounded the western foot of the hill. Seeing the scene on the beach, they immediately spread out, rushed up the slope, and took high ground, drawing bows and aiming at the strangers.

Helu immediately shouted in Jurchen: "I am Helu of the Huiba tribe, dispatched by the Emperor on a mission to Great Song—I now return with the Song envoys…"

Upon hearing Helu's shout, a Meng'an Bojile approached to speak with him.

After confirming each other's identities, the Meng'an Bojile looked at the gruesome corpses of the fallen Jin soldiers and asked Helu and Dadiwu: "Why are the Song so warlike? What fortune or misfortune lies in allying with them?" He said nothing of their own side's initial attack on the Zhao Song ships.

After speaking with the Meng'an Bojile, Helu and Dadiwu returned to confer with Zhao Liangsi and the others.

Ultimately, they decided that Zhao Liangsi, Ma Zheng, Ma Kuo, and Hu Yanqing would accompany Helu and Dadiwu to meet Wanyan Aguda, while the rest remained aboard the ships, awaiting further orders.

After ten days of rough travel, passing through more than ten states and covering roughly three thousand li, the party finally halted before a village.

The village was named "Azhi Chuan."

To the southwest of the village flowed a river heading northwest—its name was Lishuiliu.

Wanyan Aguda now resided in this village.

There were no city walls or palaces here—only scattered, towering wooden houses, each called the Emperor's Compound, the Chancellor's Compound, the Crown Prince's Estate, and so on.