Chapter 164: Balancing Left and Right (Part 2)

After the battle was over, there were rewards to be given, assets to be tallied, troops to be reorganized, lessons to be summarized, and strategies for the next step to be decided... Some things could not be rushed, and some things could not be delayed.

Among these, the most obvious and urgent matters were rewards and reorganization.

Reorganization went without saying. For instance, fully integrating the Tokyo Rear Guard Command into the Imperial Camp system was imperative. In fact, after Zong Ze's death, this had become Zhao Jiu's top priority; he had to handle it properly and with dignity. But this was bound to offend a great many people's interests and was the most substantive and serious issue at hand.

As for rewards, they were the prerequisite for reorganization and a whole string of subsequent matters.

Although unlikely, the Zhao Emperor absolutely did not want to end up like Zhong Shizhong... merely because there weren't enough silver bowls for rewards, the soldiers 'all became enraged and scattered,' and then Zhong Shizhong was immediately defeated and killed.

To this end, as early as when the Song army was encircling Luoyang, Zhao Jiu had issued an explicit decree, ordering Xiangyang and Nanyang to exhaust their treasury's surplus wealth and a considerable amount of stored grain for military use. Then, as soon as the war ended and news arrived from Hebei confirming that over half of the Jin army had dispersed on the spot, with the remainder heading toward Yanjing, Zhao Jiu immediately assembled the troops and gathered the officers, preparing to assess merits and distribute rewards.

These matters were only natural; it was just that this place, Heyin, was a bit unlucky.

Heyin was located at the border of Zhengzhou and Mengzhou, and was itself a major town on the south bank of the Yellow River in those days. Not only was it adjacent to both the Bian River and the Yellow River, but it was also the central point of Han Shizhong's previous defensive line along the Yellow River. From a transportation standpoint, this location was indeed convenient for gathering troops, officials, and officers from Nanyang, Tokyo, and Xijing.

However, convenient as it was, this place was famous throughout the land because of Erzhu Rong's 'Heyin Incident'... Over two thousand princes, dukes, and high ministers of the Northern Wei were slaughtered, and the history books clearly state, 'At Heyin, the caps and robes of the elite were trampled into the mud.'

The ministers rushing here from Nanyang and Xiangyang certainly weren't paranoid enough to think the Zhao Emperor was planning a great massacre, but they couldn't help wondering if the Zhao Emperor had ulterior motives or was sending a hint. Because by now, the Zhao Emperor's series of actions after fleeing Nanyang had become completely clear. Whether it was deceiving the Nanyang and Xiangyang officials together on the day of his escape, or killing Du Chong with an axe when seizing military power at Yanling, or personally leading the imperial campaign into battle, all of this made these ministers feel somewhat uneasy.

However, hearing afterwards that the Zhao Emperor had returned to the old capital and presented Zong Liushou with that poem, 'Green Jade Cup,' somewhat relaxed these people... because these two actions still bore the demeanor of an enlightened ruler.

In truth, it was no wonder these people were so tense and sensitive, because another undeniable fact was that, with this war ending in a way completely beyond anyone's expectations, looking back at the Zhao Emperor's achievements in the Battle of Yanling, although these people were apprehensive, they had never had the intention or courage to oppose him from the start... To use Yan Xiaozhong's words when seeing off the hundred officials heading north, the hundred officials going north this time seemed to have the attitude of 'when Xiang Yu defeated the Qin army and summoned the feudal lords' generals, they entered the camp gate, all crawling on their knees, not daring to look up.'

Of course, this kind of untimely remark was sternly criticized by the two Lu Xianggongs, because the Emperor and everyone were one body. Was Xiang Yu and the feudal lords' generals, each with their own hidden agendas, the same thing? How could a dignified Nanyang Prefecture guardian say such divisive words?

So Yan Xiaozhong shut up.

And regardless of how the people below let their imaginations run wild or schemed against each other, by late February, as the military commanders gradually gathered and the various Xianggongs and high ministers from Nanyang and Xiangyang had all arrived in the Zhengzhou area, the Zhao Emperor did not hesitate. He immediately departed from Tokyo and, raising the imperial dragon banner, headed for Heyin.

Along the way, troops arriving from the east gathered in increasing numbers, and the accompanying military officers grew more numerous. The rest, from the west and south, also hurried along, with the leading officials, ministers, and generals arriving first at Heyin to await the imperial carriage.

On the twenty-third day of the second month, Zhao Jiu arrived at Heyin.

By this point, Heyin had gathered seventy to eighty thousand troops, dozens of Commanding Officers, and above the Commanding Officer level, there were generals such as Han Shizhong, Li Yanxian, Zhang Jun, Wang Yan, Yue Fei, Wang De, and Lü Qing.

In addition, below the four Xianggongs—Lü Haowen, Lü Yihao, Xu Jingheng, and Wang Boyan—the Censor-in-Chief, heads of the Six Ministries, Hanlin Academicians, and personnel from the Department of State Affairs, the Bureau of Military Affairs, the Censorate, and the Tokyo Rear Guard Command had all arrived.

Even the Palace Eunuch Service and the Imperial Guard, led by Yang Yizhong and Feng Yi, had escorted Lady Wu to the scene, and Han Shizhong's Lady Liang had also come along.

Civil and military officials gathered. Some were heading towards the imperial carriage, but that morning, the civil and military officials at Heyin, led by the four Xianggongs, assembled together and went out of the city along the Bian River to welcome the Emperor... And because the Emperor had previously decreed that they should not go far, they only went two or three li out of the city.

Thanks to this, Han Shizhong even had time to set up a thatched awning here and make some arrangements.

Around noon, Liu Yan, the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard, led the cavalry to arrive first, and then the dragon banner appeared in the distance. Immediately afterwards, the Chief Eunuch Lan Gui came ahead in person and conveyed an oral decree. The gist was that since they were meeting by the roadside today, all civil and military officials were exempted from formal rites. The grand ceremony would be held at the banquet tomorrow. The elderly, civil officials above the rank of heads of the Six Ministries, and military officers above the rank of Commanding Officer could all sit quietly and wait... And after everyone had roughly taken their seats according to seniority, in just a moment, the slightly worn dragon banner arrived before them, escorted by the personal guards of Wang Yan and Zhang Jun.

The dragon banner was planted. Generals Zhang Jun and Wang Yan, personally armored and bearing arms, led the various army officers out from left and right. Then, the Zhao Emperor, wearing a leather belt and a set of bright yellow imperial review robes (shabby old goods found in the Tokyo imperial palace, convenient for riding), rode out on his horse. Behind him were the few ministers who had been attending him, along with Quan Bangyan, the Deputy Rear Guard of the Tokyo Rear Guard Command, and a group of judges and registrars.

Seeing this, although no grand ceremony was required, the civil and military officials instinctively rose. While thinking about how to face the Emperor to manipulate the upcoming core business, they prepared, under the leadership of Lü Xianggong, to pay their respects to the Emperor.

Unexpectedly, just as Lü Haowen led the hundred officials into formation and before they could speak, the Zhao Emperor, who was still sitting on his horse and had not dismounted, suddenly composed his expression and raised his voice to address them:

"No need for formalities. I have a few important matters to quickly discuss the general outline with the Xianggongs..."

Those around were caught off guard and flustered. Even Zhang Jun and the others who had come with the Zhao Emperor looked at each other in bewilderment. Although the several Xianggongs had excellent composure, they too were inwardly alarmed upon hearing this, sensing trouble—because this was precisely what the civil officials who had come from the south feared most: that the Emperor, relying on the prestige of his great victory, would force issues.

"The matter of Zhang Zizheng was already discussed and posthumously honored in Nanyang, so I won't mention it further. But Xianggong Zong, who single-handedly held the capital and maintained order, rendered great service. Now he has died for the state, and it can be said he gave his all, sparing no effort until his dying day. I believe he should be given the posthumous title 'Loyal and Martial' and be posthumously enfeoffed as a Prince, to show our mourning and honor..." Zhao Jiu's expression was stern as he spoke slowly. "What do the four Xianggongs think?"

Lü Haowen and the other three looked at each other, helpless. Even the rebellious feeling that had welled up in them earlier instantly subsided... Could they refute such a matter? And why would they want to? Refute the Zhao Emperor's posthumous honors for a Grand Councilor? They were Grand Councilors themselves, weren't they?

Or rather, even if one of them felt that the posthumous title 'Loyal and Martial' was too high and felt a little jealous inside, could they say it wasn't acceptable on this occasion? Even if they were being a bit malicious, the two Vice Commissioners of the Bureau of Military Affairs were waiting for this matter to be settled quickly so they could be promoted!

Jealousy should only be felt by Li Gang, Li Gongxiang, who was far away in the southeast and still up to his ears in trouble. They didn't need to, and didn't have time to, be jealous.

So, after the three behind him roughly nodded, Lü Haowen was the first to clasp his hands and respond: "What Your Majesty says is very true. Xianggong Zong's merits, virtue, and deeds are fully worthy of 'Loyal and Martial,' and he should indeed be posthumously enfeoffed as a Prince."

Zhao Jiu nodded slightly, looking at the dense crowd of heads before him, and continued:

"I trouble the Xianggongs with this matter... There is one more thing. This campaign involved a great many people. Regardless of whether they are civil or military defenders or military officers, their merits should be calculated early, rewards distributed, and promotions and appointments made. I hope the Department of State Affairs and the Bureau of Military Affairs will quickly tally everything clearly and, as much as possible, settle it here. Do not lose or be reckless."

This statement was even more self-evident. Without even needing to turn back to look at the other three Xianggongs behind him, Lü Haowen quickly bowed his head and declared: "Your Majesty, rest assured. We are here and are already urgently calculating..."

Zhao Jiu smiled in response and continued: "Speaking of calculating merits, promotions and appointments for Commanding Officers and below are one thing. But for those above the rank of Commanding Officer, the various Circuit Commanders and Prefectural Governors of major prefectures, I should first give a general outline to avoid future disputes over credit..."

Lü Haowen was slightly startled and blurted out: "Please speak, Your Majesty."

"It's actually quite simple." Zhao Jiu continued smiling and speaking clearly. "I believe that in this campaign, if Han Shizhong had not held Changshe and Chen Gui had not defended Nanyang, the situation would have been irredeemable. Moreover, Han Shizhong also had coordinating merits after leaving Changshe... These two men should be ranked as first-class in merit. Chen Gui should be made Minister of War and concurrently Prefect of Kaifeng. Han Shizhong should be made Junior Guardian and given an additional town as a Military Governor! When you calculate the merits, do not let their rewards fall below this standard!"

Chen Gui and Han Shizhong, who were positioned just behind the four Xianggongs, both drew a sharp breath, then could hardly conceal their joy. Chen Gui wasn't a proper *jinshi* graduate, and Han Shizhong was a rough man—how could they hide it?

And although Lü Haowen and the others felt a jolt in their hearts because the Zhao Emperor had suddenly brought up such an important matter, unexpectedly, no one had any intention of refuting it.

Because, from a public-spirited perspective, there wasn't much to say about Chen Gui and Han Shizhong being the top civil and military contributors to this campaign. Before the war, they were already the highest-ranking civil defender and military commander below the Grand Councilors... And from a selfish perspective, with Zong Ze dead and the post of Commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs vacant, it was supposed to be one of the two Vice Commissioners who would successfully ascend, thereby maintaining the balanced situation of the four Xianggongs in the two government offices before the Emperor. So, they had actually been a bit worried that Chen Gui might use this campaign to forcefully enter the Grand Council.

The Prefect of Kaifeng was, of course, a good appointment, universally recognized as a good one, but it wasn't quite a Grand Councilor... That fellow Chen Gui, from a humble background, didn't he realize he had been sold out by the Emperor?

And with this thought, not only did the four Xianggongs have no reason to object, but they also felt that the Zhao Emperor's arrangement this time suited their wishes quite well, even showing a gesture of goodwill... However, they were all familiar with each other now, and the four Xianggongs had some idea of what kind of person the Zhao Emperor was.

So, after accepting the Zhao Emperor's gesture of goodwill, these Xianggongs became even more vigilant, preparing to prevent the Zhao Emperor from using the prestige of this great victory to force through some messy business.

However, just as Lü Haowen was about to respond, the Zhao Emperor directly continued:

"Below Chen and Han, if Li Yanxian had not advanced into Hedong and cut off the eastern and western battlefields, morale would have been lost by then; if Ma Kuo had not fought fiercely against the Jin army in Hebei, we would have been caught off guard; if Zhang Jun had not garrisoned Nanjing and held Bozhou, the eastern front would have completely collapsed; if Yue Fei and Wang Yan had not risen up and helped me kill Du Chong, start the Yanling campaign, and attack Talai, this war could never have been turned around... These five men, those without a Military Governor title should be given one, and those with a Military Governor title should be made Junior Guardian, to show imperial favor!"

The four Xianggongs looked at each other, still silent, because this matter sounded more like forcefully setting a tone for a few military officers.

If there was any impropriety, it was that the Zhao Emperor seemed to want to forcefully elevate that Yue Fei, who was only twenty-six or twenty-seven, and highlight the sense of the Hebei volunteer army. So, as long as Zhang Jun and Li Yanxian didn't cause trouble, and Wang De had no complaints, there should be no problem.

In fact, Li Yanxian, standing behind Han Shizhong, and Zhang Jun, riding beside the Zhao Emperor, had no superfluous words, and Wang De, far away, also remained silent... Seeing this, the four Xianggongs almost all realized that today the Zhao Emperor was indeed wielding his authority, but it was not directed at them, the Xianggongs. On the contrary, it was directed at these people. It even seemed like he had sold out Chen Gui and wanted the four Xianggongs to help him suppress these military officers with their many faults.

However, as it turned out, the Emperor's victory at Yanling was indeed formidable, and they, the Xianggongs, didn't need to beat the drum for him.

"One last matter. After much deliberation, since we have returned to the old capital and Liushou Zong has passed away, there is no need to maintain a separate Tokyo Rear Guard Command. The various armies of the Tokyo Rear Guard Command, along with the troops from Shanzhou, Xijing, and other places, should be uniformly reorganized and placed under the Imperial Camp." Zhao Jiu withdrew his gaze from the military officer standing behind Han Shizhong and in front of Yue Fei, feeling slightly relieved, and continued to announce loudly. "The Tokyo Rear Guard Command will be roughly reorganized into the Imperial Camp's Forward Army, with Yue Fei as its Commander-in-Chief. The Xijing and Shanzhou troops will be roughly consolidated into the Imperial Camp's Central Army, with Li Yanxian as its Commander-in-Chief... Does anyone have anything to say?"

The majority remained silent, but Lü Haowen, Xianggong, after feeling someone tug at his robe, stepped forward and responded calmly:

"May Your Majesty know, both the Eastern and Western Government Offices find this matter very appropriate and have nothing to say!"

No one interjected between the Emperor and the Grand Councilor. So, after a moment, confirming there was no opposition, Zhao Jiu smiled as before, nodded briefly, and said: "In that case, let us enter the city... I have troubled the Xianggongs!"

PS: Thank you everyone for the tips. However, the last chapter wasn't asking for tips; I meant to complain that the only option in that Easter egg chapter function was to ask for tips.

PS: Thank you all for the tips, but the previous chapter wasn't meant to ask for tips. What I meant was that I'm complaining about how the Easter egg chapter feature only has the option to ask for tips.

Good night.