Chapter 166

The military review and distribution of rewards was undoubtedly a laborious task.

From the lofty Emperor, Grand Councilors, and Grand Commandants down to the common soldiers, everyone was exhausted, because each person had to perform a large number of repetitive tasks.

Of course, the common soldiers below might have felt a bit better, as they received rewards of real gold, silver, and silk.

Relatively speaking, from the Emperor Zhao’s perspective, he should have had some spiritual satisfaction as compensation… For instance, tens of thousands of victorious troops shouting "Long live Your Majesty" in unison, the Emperor riding his horse sideways along the banks of the Bian River, a heroic spirit naturally arising—so-called "life like this, what more could one ask for"... That’s nonsense!

To be honest, having experienced so many battlefields, especially witnessing the scene of a general assault by seventy to eighty thousand troops at the Battle of Yanyang, Zhao Jiu didn’t feel much about this military review anymore. After a whole morning and noon, he just felt tired.

As for the Grand Councilors, plus the officials from the Department of State Affairs and the Bureau of Military Affairs, their mood was even worse… because they were the ones handing out the money. Watching the cash and silk nearly empty, everyone felt a bit uneasy.

Actually, logically speaking, the Great Song certainly had money. The Southeast, Jingxiang, the Two Huai, and Bashu were all preserved, and the problems of redundant officials, redundant troops, and imperial waste from the Jingkang Incident had been indirectly solved by the Jurchens. According to past experience, as long as transport came through, supporting these two hundred thousand troops of the Imperial Camp from the remaining areas would certainly be no problem… The two circuits of Huainan produced millions in silk alone each year—was that fake?

However, one also had to see the real problems of Henan being empty and the Southeast not yet pacified… If the Southeast couldn’t be quickly stabilized, fiscal problems would still arise; as for Henan here, to put it bluntly, it was simply a bottomless pit.

Therefore, after this batch of accumulated cash and silk from Xiangyang and Nanyang was all spent, everyone couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy.

Still, it must be said that this unease was essentially a kind of progress… Previously, when the Emperor Zhao had people scrape the gold from the Dao Ancestor’s statue in Bozhou, and when all the officials at the temporary court in Shunchang Prefecture shared two barrels of "Vice Minister Jiang," that was a time of utter destitution, yet no unease was seen.

And this current unease was clearly because the Great Song had regained the appearance of a proper court, giving rise to specific worries derived from the mindset of running a proper court.

As for the several military commissioners who had made a scene before the throne last night, for some reason, every single one of them was more obedient today.

Of course, they didn’t skimp on the pretense either.

Han Shizhong, wearing a jade belt, puffed out his chest and belly, and was brought by the Emperor to review the entire army together, yet several times when the Emperor Zhao mounted or dismounted his horse, he stepped forward to hold the reins for him; Zhang Jun, having listened to someone’s advice, actually split half of the Shu brocade he received last night and rewarded his own troops who had worked hard in this campaign; Li Yanxian had the "Pillar of the State" banner raised early and sat beneath it like a wooden carving…

As for Yue Fei, Wang Yan, Wang De, and Lü Qing, they were simply obedient.

Now, there was a reason for this.

According to the words the Emperor Zhao had spoken yesterday upon arrival south of the city, although not yet concretely implemented, among these several great generals, the top three were beyond any doubt, and their ranking was unmistakable.

Han Shizhong was Junior Guardian plus Military Governor of two towns, ranked first;

Zhang Jun was Junior Guardian plus Military Governor of one town, clearly second;

Li Yanxian was only Military Governor of one town, but he also held the position of Grand Coordinator of Yongxing Army Circuit, which was not in the military rank sequence, and half of Yongxing Army Circuit was still within the Great Song’s control area. This meaning was far stronger than Yue Fei’s irregular Pacification Commissioner or Wang Yan’s Controller-in-Chief of enemy-occupied areas, not to mention he was also the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Camp Central Army?

So, Li Yanxian was undoubtedly third.

But further down, regarding the ranking of Wang Yan and Yue Fei, the Emperor Zhao, in order to protect Yue Fei, had deliberately handled it vaguely without much discussion, giving a feeling that the so-called "Four Heavenly Kings" must have five… Therefore, in today’s military review, basically the first three were both obedient and putting on airs, while the remaining four were just obedient. Even Wang De, who had made the biggest fuss yesterday, seemed somewhat like he was playing dead today.

In summary, this grand military review ceremony held north of Heyang City and south of the Yellow River, due to different statuses, although everyone wasn’t necessarily harboring their own thoughts, their postures were completely different.

However, the protagonists of the day were destined not to be just these people, nor was the highlight of the day merely the grand military review that lasted from morning to noon.

In the afternoon, the military review ended peacefully. Although wine and meat were not abundant, a full banquet was held with all effort… Rewards and feasts—a good meal was always unavoidable.

And the Emperor Zhao himself also held an imperial feast on the reviewing stand. Unlike the small banquet last night, this time, all military commanders at the rank of Commander and above, including Niu Gao, whom the Emperor Zhao had personally promoted to Commander, and those generals in Yue Fei’s unit who had been held at the rank of Senior Commander, such as Li Kui, Tang Huai, Li Bao, Li Zhang, and others—that is, the real military officers currently leading troops—were all allowed to line up before the throne and feast.

The Emperor sat in the center, the Grand Councilors on the left, the military commissioners and Imperial Camp Commander-in-Chief Wang Yuan on the right, the Chief Eunuch of the Inner Palace Service and the Deputy Commanders of the Imperial Guard standing in attendance, then the heads of the Six Ministries, Nine Courts, Five Directorates, and Six Bureaus, Hanlin Academicians, and key officials of the Censorate arrayed with the Grand Councilors, and dozens of Commanders and Senior Commanders arranged with the military commissioners… All sorts of powerful civil and military officials, there were actually over a hundred seats.

If Wanyan Dalai had mustered his remaining courage, launched a counterattack, secretly crossed the Yellow River with a Meng’an, then traversed the military camp stretching for dozens of li, and finally succeeded in a surprise attack here, I’m afraid the Great Song would truly have perished at Heyang… Of course, fortunately, he didn’t come.

After three rounds of wine, toasting the Emperor’s longevity, celebrating the great victory, and mourning Grand Councilor Zong, everyone was slightly tipsy but instead seemed somewhat restrained.

Because everyone was at a loss for what to do next… According to banquet customs, an imperial feast should have song and dance, acrobatics, and sumo wrestling. When civil officials were in the majority, there would naturally be poetry; when military officers were in the majority, there would naturally be the kind of ruckus as seen last night.

And today’s grand banquet, judging by its scale, should have lacked none of these.

But to be honest, after the Emperor Zhao’s poem "Green Jade Cup" had surpassed all Lantern Festival poems throughout the ages, even if the civil officials wanted to show off their literary talent, who wouldn’t feel intimidated? Yesterday, the seven military commissioners had made such a fuss, and today they were already obedient. Which of those Commanders and Senior Commanders below would dare to act up?

As for acrobatics, song and dance, and sumo wrestling… since the Jingkang Incident, who had seen any?

Was it necessary to wait until Wang De, Grand Commandant Wang, got drunk and invited Lady Liang from Grand Commandant Han’s household to perform a dance? Then, regardless of success or failure, at least one would see song and dance and sumo wrestling?

Of course, the Emperor Zhao was not that petty a person. Since he had prepared such a grand banquet, he naturally had a program to present.

"His Majesty has an oral decree: the army lacks music and dance, so sumo wrestling shall be used to enliven the spirits." Seizing the right moment, Chief Eunuch Feng Yi stepped forward and announced loudly.

Exclamations of surprise rang out one after another on the reviewing stand, and then almost everyone was invigorated.

Now, sumo wrestling in the Great Song had always been a popular sport enjoyed by all levels of society. Not only did the common people like it, but scholars, nobles, and the imperial family also liked it. Later, at its peak, almost every imperial or state banquet would feature a professional imperial sumo wrestling performance. And as the saying goes, "If the superior likes something, the inferior will follow suit." Before the Jingkang Incident, it had developed to the point where nobles, wealthy families, great households, and even the mansions of civil officials almost all kept sumo wrestlers. At ordinary banquets, a row of sumo wrestlers would stand behind them, ready to fight at any moment to win face for their masters.

However, among these, the imperial sumo wrestlers kept by the imperial family were naturally the most outstanding.

Back to the present, today, reviewing the three armies, within the military camp, civil and military officials gathered, what more suitable entertainment program could there be than the sumo wrestling performance of the Zhao Song imperial family?

Thus, as soon as these words were spoken, almost everyone craned their necks in anticipation, ready to see what level of sumo wrestlers the Emperor had gathered in Dongjing this time.

The reviewing stand, made of rammed earth, had been built with slight tiered levels for convenience during the review, naturally forming a viewing platform where everyone could watch without getting up. And as Feng Yi spoke, soon, on the flat ground in front of the reviewing stand, several hundred Imperial Guardsmen in armor surged forward, roughly enclosing an arena.

Everyone became even more excited, because this was the typical posture of an imperial sumo wrestling match. In the past, when the imperial family held sumo wrestling, armored soldiers would form an outer perimeter, set up flags and drums, and then, it was said, onlookers among the high officials might be allowed to place bets on the spot. The winner would not only receive money but might also be granted an official post, while the loser had nothing to worry about, because the Emperor would pay on his behalf.

However, just a moment later, all the civil and military officials present changed color in unison, because Yang Yizhong, the Emperor’s trusted confidant who had disappeared without a trace, suddenly emerged, personally leading a group of special "sumo wrestlers"… At first, some thought they had misseen, but as Commander Yang, whom no one dared to underestimate, ascended the platform to report, all doubt vanished. Some Commanders from the Dongjing Provisional Government even began to panic.

"Your Majesty!"

Yang Yizhong bowed his head in obeisance. "The rebel Zhang Yu and thirty of his unit’s officers have all been brought."

All around, the entire military camp was still in an uproar. A spring breeze stirred, rising along the Bian River, with a howling quality, but on the reviewing stand where the imperial carriage was located, it had long been deathly silent. Several Grand Councilors frowned slightly, exchanging thoughtful glances, but because the Emperor Zhao had not explained the reason, they were not in a hurry to remonstrate.

But it was conceivable that if the Emperor Zhao, without any reason, were to truly do something degrading and bloody on the spot, such as forcing Zhang Yu and his subordinates to fight each other for entertainment, rather than executing them through proper legal procedure, then not only they, but all the civil officials present, would step forward to protest!

Moreover, didn’t the Emperor know that this Zhang Yu was from the Dongjing Provisional Government? If he was going to die anyway, making an issue of it on such an occasion would instead cause the officials of the Dongjing Provisional Government to harbor suspicion and fear?

At a time of reorganization, these military leaders of bandit origin should not have been subjected to additional provocation.

"Bring the men up." After the military review, the Emperor Zhao, who had changed into a set of bright red formal robes, said calmly, directly responding.

Yang Yizhong turned back and simply waved his hand. Armored soldiers then dragged several dozen men tied together on a long rope onto the platform. The leader was none other than the former Commander of the Dongjing Provisional Government, "Swarm" Zhang Yu.

Zhang Yu came onto the platform, filthy and disheveled, all his former prestige gone, yet he still forced himself to remain calm, looking up without speaking… In fact, he knew in his heart that if there were truly a chance to live, he would have knelt down directly, using the goodwill of his former colleagues from the Dongjing Provisional Government on the platform to beg for his life.

But wasn’t it that the guilt from the Battle of Nanyang was right there, and everyone, including himself, knew that today was destined to end badly?

As an imperial army officer, he had purged the anti-Jurchen civil and military officials in the city, opened the city gates to surrender to the Jurchens, directly breaking the Wuhe defense line; after surrendering, he had rounded up the city’s scholars and commoners, driving them to besiege the provisional capital where the Great Song Emperor was located, and repeatedly engaged in open battle with the imperial army at Nanyang; after being defeated, he fled west in a sorry state, only to encounter a mutiny, be broken by Zhai Chong of Xiping, and his troops scattered to nothing… With all these crimes in this campaign, he had no possibility of survival.

He just didn’t know what method of death it would be!

"Are you ‘Swarm’ Zhang Yu?" Zhao Jiu asked calmly. "The one who drove the people to fill the moat at Nanyang City and later built a covered passageway?"

Zhang Yu glanced at the young Emperor in the bright red robe in the seat and remained silent.

"You, and these subordinates of yours, are originally unpardonable, but today, as the court reviews the troops and distributes rewards, it is not impossible to give you an opportunity." Zhao Jiu did not heed the other’s rudeness, nor did he pay attention to the countless "remonstrating officials" on the left who were raising their eyebrows, ready to step forward, but continued speaking to himself. "I have heard that in your army, when you drove the scholars and commoners to become soldiers, and they refused, you made them fight each other in pairs to determine life and death, with the dead left on the ground and the living becoming soldiers… Today, I shall repay you in kind!"

Zhang Yu finally showed emotion, yet also seemed somewhat incredulous. The thirty officers behind him also revealed expressions of surprise.

The civil officials were naturally all astonished as well. It wasn't that they didn't want to offer remonstrance, but rather that they had encountered a reversal in the moment... Originally, they had wanted to advise the Zhao official not to lower himself too much, but now they worried that if this Zhang Yu somehow managed to survive, it would backfire instead!

Could it be that because the Zhao official had a momentary whim, such a vile rebel would be allowed to steal a living? This was the very rebel who had made the officials of Nanyang suffer so bitterly!

This was going too far!

Only, for some reason today, everyone harbored a bit of caution. Not a single person stepped forward until the Zhao official finally uttered a definitive conclusion like "the living shall be pardoned." Especially after they saw that the Censor-in-Chief Hu Yin and the Hanlin Academician Lin Jingmo, who had accompanied the official to Heying this time, both sat with folded hands, silent and unmoving, they became even more cautious.

And just as the civil and military officials below were each harboring their own thoughts, Zhao Jiu had already pointed at the prisoners behind Zhang Yu and inquired: "You thirty men, I had Controller-General Yang specifically pick you out. You are all men selected by Zhang Yu using that method, and have all been through this once before. You should know the rules, shouldn't you?"

This group of Zhang Yu's military officers naturally kowtowed in response, but their reactions were utterly different. Some begged for mercy in a jumble, while others cried out in gratitude for the imperial grace. Zhang Yu, standing in front, also showed a faint smile.

"Then go on down!" Zhao Jiu did not delay further but waved his hand to dismiss them. "You thirty men count as one nest of people, and Zhang Yu is naturally the hornet. This hornet and this nest of people—today, only one side can survive. The living shall be pardoned!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone on the reviewing platform changed color.

The civil officials and most of the military officers began whispering among themselves, clearly in a state of "just as I expected." Some even laughed out loud. The thirty men were overjoyed. However, there were also some military officers, especially those from the Eastern Capital Field Headquarters, whose faces turned stern, and then they became cautious.

Of course, Zhang Yu himself also instantly lost all color from his face. He knew that today was the end for him. He had the urge to curse a few times on the platform to muster some bloody courage, but just as he was about to open his mouth, the thirty subordinates tied to him eagerly rushed downward, actually dragging him down with them, and then forcibly hauled him, tumbling and rolling, off the reviewing platform.

Once they were off the platform and among the armored soldiers, the Imperial Guard threw down some short knives, daggers, and clubs. The thirty men either grabbed weapons and cut their ropes, or, too impatient to snatch weapons, directly pinned Zhang Yu down while still tied with ropes.

Then the crowd swarmed forward, like a pack of wolves devouring flesh. In almost an instant, they stabbed that hornet into a honeycomb!

And Zhang Yu, from beginning to end today, never even had time to speak a single word or let out half a shout before he was reduced to a piece of rotten meat.

The thirty men were pardoned and re-enlisted as military laborers. They departed with grateful thanks, but the piece of rotten meat on the ground inevitably affected everyone's appetite.

And after the reviewing platform fell into a strange silence for a moment, just as the Eastern Capital Field Headquarters Controller-General Ma Gao, prompted by the exchanged glances of several colleagues, could no longer restrain himself and prepared to step forward, suddenly, a man beside him gritted his teeth and stepped out even earlier.

Everyone looked over, and it was precisely the Eastern Capital Field Headquarters Controller-General Wang Shan... Then, each of them felt their hearts stir.

"Does Minister Wang have something to say?" Zhao Jiu said with a half-smile.

"Your Majesty!" The spring afternoon wind gradually picked up, and sweat beaded on Wang Shan's forehead as he forced himself to speak. "Your Majesty, Zhang Yu's crimes were enormous, and ending up like this is what this wretch deserved! But he was once a man who called me brother. Since he is dead, I beg to collect his corpse!"

"You are quite loyal to your friends." Zhao Jiu sighed softly, then looked at Mo Qixie, who had somehow already risen. "Does Minister Mo Qixie also have something to say?"

"Your Majesty!"

Mo Qixie quickly stepped forward to stand beside Wang Shan. After cupping his hands in salute, he raised his head and spoke, his expression righteous and awe-inspiring. "I believe what Controller-General Wang said is utterly absurd. This wretch Zhang Yu's original crimes were unpardonable. He forced good commoners and scholars to fight to the death, drove the people to fill ditches as a mere club-wielding brute—this has violated the Way of humanity and can be called a tragedy beyond compare... Therefore, in my view, although today Your Majesty's act of paying him back in his own coin is exquisite, it is still insufficient! His corpse should be hung up and circulated among the armies as a warning for the future!"

Wang Shan opened his mouth as if to speak, but no sound came out.

And once Mo Qixie's words fell, he continued without pause, pointing and gesturing, his bearing imposing: "Not only that, but men like Wang Shan, who were once bandits, also have many evil deeds of undisciplined military conduct. Although, after Zong's pacification and amnesty, they should not be pursued further, today's defense of such a vile rebel clearly shows that their bandit nature remains unchanged. I believe they should be stripped of their military posts, have their troops taken away, and be demoted to commoners as a warning to others!"

Wang Shan quickly knelt and bowed his head to beg for forgiveness.

And as those around listened, the four chief councilors took the lead, each sitting in their seats like carved wooden statues, causing all the civil officials to tremble with awe. On the other side, several military commanders exchanged glances. They wanted to speak, but after stealing a glance at the Zhao official, each remained obediently still. Seeing their commanders silent, the troops of Han, Zhang, Li, Yue, and the two Wangs all remained solemnly quiet as well.

Only the group of Eastern Capital Field Headquarters officials, who had lost all direction, exchanged many glances and grew increasingly terrified. Then, led by Ma Gao, except for Li Qiong, over a dozen Controller-Generals stepped forward together and knelt, pleading for Wang Shan, claiming they would exchange their military merits for the official's forgiveness of Wang Shan... This startled the opposing side, Quan Bangyan and Guo Zhongxun, a few Eastern Capital Field Headquarters civil officials, into an awkward and panicked state.

Zhao Jiu gave a slight, amused smile and was about to speak.

Unexpectedly, Mo Qixie showed no fear of such a scene. Instead, he stood there, continuing to speak with righteous awe: "Your Majesty! You must not be deceived by these military ruffians. As I know, Ma Gao and these ten Controller-Generals, during the national crisis, did not think to dispatch troops to rescue Grand Commandant Han. Instead, they privately contacted each other, withdrew their forces to converge at Fugou, and then, imitating the actions of the Grand Ancestor back then, swore brotherhood, vowing to share life and death, wealth and honor... Your Majesty, these men have not only failed to reform their bandit nature, but they all harbor treacherous intentions!"

The wind rose and the banners fluttered. The reviewing platform grew even quieter. Among the kneeling Controller-Generals, someone instinctively reached for his waist, only to suddenly realize that, during the imperial audience and feast, all weapons had been removed. At the same time, above and below the platform, the Imperial Guards were all armored and armed, standing coldly with the civil and military officials on both sides, watching this group... and occasionally glancing at the pile of rotten meat below the platform.

PS: Thank you to the new patron, Brother Yun's fans... I am extremely grateful... This is the sixty-sixth patron of this book.