Chapter 152: Nightfall

Night had fallen, and the entire Song army was sharpening weapons and preparing horses; some had even already begun to set out or move ahead of schedule.

And because rescuing Han Shizhong was the true strategic objective of this battle, King Heilong Wang Sheng's unit had naturally become the most reliable independent force at hand, and was appointed by Zhao Jiu as a direct supervisory detachment, responsible for patrolling the outer perimeters of all camps to prevent anyone from leaking information or deserting on the eve of battle.

As for the group who had galloped here over two days and nights—the His Majesty the Emperor, his few attendants, and two hundred cavalry—they could not help but be overcome by fatigue at this moment, so much so that each retired early.

However, this kind of early retirement, like adjusting for jet lag, also had its drawbacks. After sleeping until past the third watch, before the fourth watch arrived, having slept roughly a full cycle, the Nanyang party all rose one after another.

His Majesty the Emperor, being young, rose early and took Liu Yan up onto the walls of Yanling; while Lan Gui, the oldest, was the only one who slept like a log. As for Hu Yin, after getting up, he discovered that the neighboring Junior Academician Lin and Vice Recipient of the Bureau of Military Affairs Moqi Xie had already risen and were sitting side by side in the corridor of the side courtyard of the Yanling County office, silently gazing at the moon.

Tonight was only the twelfth of the first month, still a few days until the Lantern Festival. Looking up, the moon was neither perfectly round nor crescent-shaped; one could only say these two had refined taste.

Of course, the actual situation was that Junior Academician Lin was lost in thought as usual, while Moqi Xie, though wanting to flatter him, felt somewhat intimidated by this Academician Lin and had not dared to speak, so the two sat together awkwardly, appearing like close friends.

Hu Yin naturally did not know this minor reason, nor did he need to, because after the day's events, the three civil officials all rising in the middle of the night but not seeking out His Majesty the Emperor could, from a general principle, only be due to the same kind of concern.

"Two worthy elder brothers, this foolish younger brother believes His Majesty should not have acted thus today."

As the youngest of the three but holding the highest office, Hu Yin casually sat down beside them and, without any hesitation, went straight to the point with a sigh.

Moqi Xie was clear-headed inside and quite agreed, instinctively wanting to chime in. But on second thought, this matter inevitably carried the suspicion of 'criticizing the imperial carriage'; he was a minor official of low rank, unlike the two beside him. If he ended up like Chen Dong, probably no one would care, so for a moment he dared not speak.

However, after a moment, Junior Academician Lin, having thought it over carefully, responded calmly: "What the worthy younger brother says is very true. His Majesty is still young and appears a bit rash... In today's affair, if His Majesty had only given a slight hint, Commander Liu would naturally have handled it for him. Why would a Son of Heaven need to get blood on himself?"

Hu Yin was visibly taken aback... He had not meant to say that at all.

On the other side, Moqi Xie, whose heart was like a bright mirror, could only smile bitterly inwardly.

Now, with Moqi Yuanzhong's shrewdness, how could he not understand the thrust of their words? And how could he not know the significance of His Majesty the Emperor's axe stroke that day?

That axe stroke was not simply about killing a high official to consecrate the banners, nor was it merely as superficial as Junior Academician Lin's understated emphasis on the Son of Heaven personally killing someone being beneath his dignity... This matter was actually easy to explain. His Majesty the Emperor had stated it clearly himself: all the way here, he had never forgotten the ten thousand armored soldiers who served as bait; this journey was undertaken with deep-seated hatred, so brutal and direct methods were within everyone's expectations.

Losing face was losing face, brutality was brutality; this Emperor was not short of one or two such incidents of losing face.

The crux of the matter still lay in whether to kill or not, and whether to kill publicly or not.

After all, there was a deep-seated contradiction here—to put it bluntly, in the Great Song's centuries-old political tradition, some people's lives were more valuable than others, while this Emperor Zhao felt that some people's lives were not necessarily more valuable or more worthless than others'... That was all.

Not to mention His Majesty the Emperor's somewhat naive ideas—Emperor Renzong also had similar naive ideas, after all—just speaking of the earlier tradition, the most valuable was naturally the Son of Heaven's own life, then the lives of those who had served as chief councilors and shared the realm with the Son of Heaven, and then the lives of senior ministers of Du Chong's caliber.

In fact, this was precisely the fundamental reason Du Chong put on that 'dead pig not afraid of scalding water' attitude... If His Majesty truly wanted to kill him, he couldn't escape, but if he didn't kill him, then he wouldn't kill him.

And this was also the fundamental reason Moqi Yuanzhong had always longed to be an official, a high official, and preferably to serve one term as a chief councilor in the Two Administrations.

Could the Jin people give such glory and fundamental interests? Your surname isn't Wanyan! Are you worthy?! The breed isn't even the same!

Yet, His Majesty the Emperor had finally, with such brutal and direct means, publicly killed a high-ranking civil official second only to the position of chief councilor!

Not to mention breaking the rules, nor that His Majesty the Emperor was actually using that axe to chop off another leg of the chair beneath his own seat—just consider one thing right before our eyes: that axe stroke, while beheading Du Chong, also severed the most stable rope tied between His Majesty the Emperor and the ministers of Nanyang and Xiangyang.

From now on, how many people would be secretly disappointed in His Majesty the Emperor? Even becoming a high-ranking civil official couldn't guarantee one's life?

Regarding this, Moqi Xie was naturally also dissatisfied, and he likewise felt that Junior Academician Lin's reaction was somewhat too mild, even seeming to make excuses for His Majesty the Emperor.

"Well said." With this thought, Moqi Yuanzhong also responded solemnly. "His Majesty is still young and should not have acted so rashly... Even the Grand Progenitor, back then, only used a jade axe to knock out two of a Censor's front teeth; there was no principle of killing someone in public."

Hu Yin was stunned for a moment, almost thinking that some earth-shattering event had occurred in the few hours he had slept. But soon, this man, who always spoke his mind, shook his head and directly stated the issue: "His Majesty killing Du Chong was inappropriate."

With the true heavyweight revealing a dangerous stance, Moqi Xie immediately fell silent.

"Should Du Chong not have been killed?" Junior Academician Lin gazed at the moon shadow above and sighed softly.

Hu Yin paused, because his conscience and Confucian cultivation told him the answer to this question was beyond doubt, yet it precisely violated his political common sense. So, after a moment's thought, he slowly shook his head: "Why couldn't he have been executed discreetly?"

"Doesn't that bring us back to the same point?" Junior Academician Lin seemed to have already thought of the answer to this question. "How could His Majesty, who is only twenty-two after the New Year, have held back?"

Hu Yin fell silent again, then let out a long sigh: "If that's the case, then it's the fault of us three, for not probing His Majesty's intentions in advance and offering timely remonstrance?"

Before Junior Academician Lin could answer, Moqi Xie was inwardly exasperated... How could such a huge matter possibly be my fault? You two, one is a 'Deputy Councilor' and the other is an 'Inner Drafter'; I am merely a minor Recipient of the Bureau of Military Affairs, and a deputy at that. My purpose on this trip is essentially to help carry the banner. How could I share this responsibility with you? When the several lords back home erupt, you two can withstand it; what can I do?

However, thinking this in his heart did not prevent Moqi Xie from immediately responding, seizing the opportunity to draw closer to the two key figures: "What Censor-in-Chief Hu says is absolutely right. If there is any fault in today's matter, it is also because we three, as subjects, failed to do our utmost."

Hearing this, Hu Yin grew even more dejected: "I was thinking too much along the way and completely forgot about this matter; it is my dereliction of duty. In fact, I was the earliest to attend His Majesty; I should have anticipated this long ago..."

"Actually, this elder brother did anticipate it and thought about offering remonstrance, but today, when I arrived outside the hall, I felt a strange impulse and actively stopped outside, so as not to encounter such a matter face to face." Junior Academician Lin suddenly spoke, causing the two on either side to freeze simultaneously.

"Why?" After a long pause, a dumbfounded Moqi Xie finally couldn't help but ask.

Now, although he regretted it as soon as he spoke, Moqi Yuanzhong truly found it difficult to understand Junior Academician Lin's words—on the one hand, why he was unwilling to remonstrate, and on the other, why he dared to say it openly?

Three people could create a tiger, and here there were already three.

"I simply felt that Du Chong deserved to die." Junior Academician Lin replied unhurriedly and calmly.

"I already said, I'm not saying Du Chong doesn't deserve to die." Hu Yin finally spoke up, but was clearly getting worked up. "Academician Lin... I only ask you, have you considered this? Du Chong's life may be worthless, but for his sake alone, has His Majesty not also gratuitously severed the unity between himself and the Nanyang officials?! For the past half year and more, His Majesty in Nanyang has maintained things with utmost effort, enduring countless hardships, and only then did the upper and lower ranks unite, accomplishing so much. Despite disputes and setbacks, it was still far better than elsewhere, wasn't it? Should the hard work of so many people be dragged down by Du Chong alone?"

Hearing this, even Moqi Xie felt a pang of sympathy... He truly liked the atmosphere in Nanyang before. On one hand, it did not lose the previous Great Song political tradition, having everything it should; on the other hand, it allowed for concerted effort, and promotions were smooth, without needing bribes... And that good atmosphere could only be barely maintained by a mixture of the Son of Heaven, his ministers, and a special situation.

Once it disappeared, it would be hard to find again.

"Indeed." Junior Academician Lin sighed again. "In that half year and more, His Majesty's demeanor in Nanyang could be called that of an enlightened ruler. Below the Chief Councilor, although the various officials had their frictions, they mostly showed a spirit of vigorous advancement... Now, with one axe stroke, His Majesty has created a rift between himself and the Nanyang officials. This elder brother's heart aches too. But, Worthy Younger Brother Hu, I want to ask you one thing: if Nanyang was doing so well, why did the situation still gradually come to this?"

Hu Yin was momentarily at a loss, then sneered dryly: "What is Academician Lin trying to say?"

"Worthy Younger Brother Hu, your scholarship is universally acknowledged as excellent. This elder brother has a question." Lin Jingmo finally stopped looking at the sky and turned his head to look Hu Yin squarely in the face. "The Former Han and the Later Han, their bloodlines are clearly continuous, but are the two dynasties one dynasty or two?"

At these words, Moqi Yuanzhong, standing behind Junior Academician Lin, immediately changed color.

And Hu Yin's expression shifted in the moonlight for a moment before he relaxed instead: "Emperor Guangwu established his own system, with the foundation of Guangwu's restoration as his backbone. His Majesty's 'backbone' is still inside that city to the west."

"You see." Junior Academician Lin suddenly spread his hands and laughed, looking at the two beside him, speaking with conviction. "Doesn't it come back to the same point? Although my learning is shallow, following His Majesty through these days of hardship and wandering, I have often pondered and sighed, to the point where I have gradually developed a rebellious thought... That is, after the Jingkang Incident, the century-old Great Song has actually perished, and an era of chaos has actually arrived. As for how our current His Majesty the Emperor acts, although supported by great righteousness, he does everything himself as much as possible. If he can determine victory and defeat himself, and establish his own foundation, then the four words 'ancestral family laws' are naturally worthless!"

Hearing the four words they had all been avoiding spoken of as 'worthless', Moqi Xie's expression was dazed. He felt that this Academician before him was no longer something that could be described by the word 'depth'; his thoughts and ideas were truly shocking, yet sincerely convincing, and also inspiring fear.

Unexpectedly, on the other side, Hu Yin was silent for a moment but did not refute. He only sighed to the sky: "So, after all this talk, it seems the affairs of this world ultimately depend on victory and defeat? But then, where should the great righteousness of the sages fall?"

No one could answer this question. Junior Academician Lin did not say anything more and continued to gaze at the sky and the moon.

Now, as Grand Academician Su once said, 'We share the same moonlight a thousand miles apart'... At the same time as the three in the county office were silently gazing at the moon, on the eastern city wall of Yanling, His Majesty the Emperor, who had been watching the movements of the military camps below the city for half the day, was also looking up at the moon. Whether he was thinking of the same thing as those three was unknown.

After watching for a while, he was attracted by the cooking smoke from below the city that drifted across the moon's shadow, and couldn't help but sigh: "Minister Li, with such commotion, the Jin army's scouts must have noticed by now, right?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, they certainly have." Li Qiong, who had arrived not long after being informed, immediately bowed his head in response from behind.

"Then do you think this battle can be won?" Zhao Jiu clasped his hands behind his back, looking at the sky, and continued to ask with a smile.

"It can certainly be won!" Li Qiong immediately replied solemnly.

"Is that so?" Zhao Jiu found it amusing and couldn't help but laugh again. "You're that confident?"

"Of course I am!" Li Qiong answered eagerly. "Your Majesty, this comes from the bottom of my heart—not deliberate flattery or sycophancy!"

"Speak, then."

"Let me tell Your Majesty." Li Qiong quickly clasped his hands and spoke earnestly. "I am from Xiangzhou, and I witnessed nearly all of the Jingkeng battles... I feel that compared to the Jin, we are not outnumbered; our heroes are not weaker; our weapons and equipment are not inferior... Yet we lose battle after battle, mostly because our leaders fall far short of the Jin commanders!"

"That's somewhat interesting!" Zhao Jiu continued to smile.

"Your Majesty." Seeing this, Li Qiong hurriedly explained seriously. "At that time, I was in Hebei. Though I didn't take the field, I heard and saw some things... They say that the Jin marshals, princes, and crown princes often personally lead troops and oversee battles, commanding the three armies amid a hail of arrows and stones, at ease and proud—one must admit they possess a heroic, world-dominating spirit. And when such men come to the front lines, advancing without fear of danger, even stripping to lead the troops across rivers and scale walls first, then how could the Jin soldiers below dare to begrudge their lives? It is precisely for this reason that the Jurchens have been unstoppable, swallowing up ten thousand li. And our Song commanders? Their abilities often fall short of ordinary men. Whenever they dispatch troops, they station themselves hundreds of li away, claiming to act with prudence. To supervise and summon the army, to replace generals and officers, they merely send a messenger with empty documents, claiming to decide victory a thousand li away... With such a situation, repeated defeats, the fall of the state, and even the two emperors being taken north, is hardly surprising?"

"So were Zong Ze and Du Chong the same?" Zhao Jiu suddenly turned and demanded.

"This is exactly what I wanted to say." Li Qiong replied earnestly. "My esteemed teacher, Vice Marshal Zong, once he became a general, wore coarse clothes, carried his own cooking pot, slept on straw, and rode a plank cart through the army ranks. So although he was a frail old man of seventy with no military experience and could barely ride a horse into battle, he won the hearts of the troops completely, to the point of defeating the Jin army at their sharpest, defending Dongjing from ruin, and turning the bandit forces around him into soldiers. But Du Chong? Though he was my superior, his conduct now—what difference is there from that crowd during the Jingkeng era? Let alone his collusion with the Jurchens and refusal to fight? No wonder the entire army is in panic, forcing Your Majesty to come here in person to enforce military law."

Zhao Jiu shook his head slightly, lost in thought.

And at this moment, Li Qiong's three-step logical deduction finally reached its conclusion: "And today, Your Majesty, not avoiding arrows and stones, piercing through ten thousand enemy cavalry, and personally arriving at the front line—doesn't this match the style of my esteemed teacher as a commander? With the dragon banner raised, among the eighty thousand troops below Yanling city, who would dare to begrudge their lives? And with eighty thousand men willing to die for you, what battle cannot be won?"

Zhao Jiu shook his head again but still made no comment.

To be honest, Zhao Jiu didn't know whether these were his true feelings, or if he was just afraid of being implicated with Du Chong and had come specifically to show loyalty with flattering words... But regardless, by now the Zhao Emperor knew full well that since he had killed Du Chong with that axe in broad daylight, and had also struck at the foundations he had painstakingly built over half a year in Nanyang, creating an irreversible rift between himself and some people, then he absolutely had to win this battle!

Because only by winning this battle could he continue to retain Han Shizhong and Yue Fei as his supporting generals, and thereby take control of the Dongjing Marshal's Office—this virtually semi-independent Hebei exile group—and then use this to gain an indisputable, enormous political prestige... Only with prestige of that level could Nanyang pretend to forget about Du Chong and continue to play along with the charade of unity from top to bottom.

Of course, after killing Du Chong, the Zhao Emperor had already done everything he could... It felt very much like a sage's moment of stillness. What came next was Yue Pengju's time... And this was also the fundamental reason why Zhao Jiu did not refute Li Qiong's crude words—he inexplicably felt full of confidence in the coming battle.

PS: Sorry... I almost wanted to take a leave of absence... I ate a serving of spicy chicken in the evening, and then the top of my forehead hurt terribly... I almost thought it was high blood pressure or something, but it gradually got better later.

Still 5.5k short?