Chapter 25: A General's Argument

"Why wouldn't Great Ming Prefecture need to be attacked? That's the foremost city in Hebei!" Wanyan Talan pretended not to know.

"That Great Ming Prefecture Defender Du Chong heard the military situation here a few days ago, abandoned Great Ming Prefecture early and fled from behind us. By now he's probably already gone to Bianliang. Great Ming Prefecture is nothing but an empty city—just send someone to take it, no need for the main army to turn back!" Wushu grew more impatient. "But what about heading south to capture the Song Emperor? Uncle, you're not unaware—that Zhao clan of Song has only that one seed left. Kill this man, and the Song people's splendid world falls into our hands."

"You talk a good game!" Talan was also growing impatient. "Is the southern climate the same as the north? And not all Song people are useless. Look at Shanzhou—what military strategy did Loushi have? A hundred thousand troops couldn't take it after months. What if you run into someone similar who holds out in a big city and drags things out? Or do you think Loushi is incompetent?"

"I'm not being arrogant. I'm saying Shanzhou was hard to crack precisely because the Song Emperor couldn't control it. But places like Huaidian are under the Song Emperor's own management—how can they compare? Besides, it's precisely to prevent more Han heroes like those in Shanzhou from rising up that we must eliminate the Song Emperor as soon as possible!"

"You're just insatiable. You want to take the Central Plains' splendid world for yourself. Claiming it's for Shanzhou's sake—isn't that hypocritical?"

"So what if it is? Is that not allowed?!" Wanyan Wushu finally grew angry. "Don't think I don't know—Nianhan took Hebei, occupied Hedong, and this time the Lord of the Nation secretly promised you Jingdongdonglu as well, along with the title of Lord of Lu. Since he can promise you Lu lands, why can't he let me take the Central Plains for myself?! I'd dare ask the Lord of the Nation face to face about this reasoning even at Shangdu! The Lord of the Nation and the various Boginlie certainly have no intention of forbidding me!"

Talan's eyes went wide. For a moment he stroked his beard in silence, clearly struck by Wushu's key point.

And the various leading figures among the Jurchen, Xi, Khitan, and Han in the Jin army's eastern route forces in the hall, hearing these words, all fell into thought. They now understood the enormous internal divisions at the highest levels of the Jurchen... Still, none of them had anything to say, because since ancient times, human nature had always been this way.

Young men come of age with no official posts, no territory, no honor—naturally they become radical young hawks. While the elders, already established, grow lazy and unwilling to stir up trouble... Before the campaign, Talan and Wushu, relative to Nianhan of the western route forces, both lacked foundations, so uncle and nephew cooperated smoothly. But now that Jingdongdonglu had fallen, and the Jin Lord of the Nation had already made promises, Talan naturally wanted to focus on the area around his 'Lu' state. Correspondingly, Wushu grew even more eager to continue south.

"I'll say just one thing." Wanyan Talan thought for a long time, then latched onto one point. "The Lord of the Nation's decree is here. There's absolutely no question of defying it. Otherwise, if you want to go south, Wushu, why would I bother opposing you for nothing? As I see it, Wushu, you should turn back and take Great Ming Prefecture, and while you're at it, send a fast horse to Zhongdu to get a Boginlie document from your elder brother. Then you can head south—what's the harm? You can even advance from west of Liangshanbo, avoiding Liu Guangshi in southern Lu!"

Jin Wushu picked up the strong liquor on the table and downed it in one gulp, then sneered even more coldly at Talan: "A general in the field has the right to make his own decisions. If you, Uncle, as Deputy Army Supervisor, would just nod, I could head south. But you spend all day crowded with those Song people—you haven't learned any real knowledge, only their indecisiveness, kicking me around like a ball... Uncle, I have only one thing to say today. If I don't use your six Wanhu troops, and instead send two Wanhu under General Han to take Great Ming Prefecture, taking only the remaining three Wanhu south—will you permit it or not?"

Talan's heart stirred for a moment, but he remained hesitant. The Jurchen, however, were still straightforward in their actions. After thinking briefly, this Deputy Army Supervisor gave a crisp reply:

"Wushu! I do still have some doubts. Give me the time it takes to fly a falcon—let me privately consult a trusted advisor!"

Wushu naturally had no objection. He let the other leave his seat, then raised his cup and drank alone, before picking up the wine jug to call on the Jin military officers in the hall to drink and eat meat. He also urged the group of Song women who had been driven out into the cold to return and dance for entertainment.

Leaving aside the revelry at the front, let us speak of Wanyan Talan. Wrapped in a large brocade coat, he went to the rear hall of the vast mansion. After sitting down, he had the Song servants there summon someone... In just a short while, a Song scholar dressed in plain blue silk, quick and nimble, hurried in.

When this man reached Wanyan Talan, he bowed in greeting. As he raised his head, he revealed a face of regular features, about thirty-six or thirty-seven years old.

"I knew Scholar Qin would be quick on his feet!" Talan saw the man and wasted no time. "Today I'm not forcing you into the hall to drink with those filthy people. I have a matter I want your opinion on... Now that several military prefectures have surrendered, the front-line intelligence is clear. Your Song's new emperor is stationed on the Huai River, about five or six hundred li from here, with only a Liu Guangshi in between. Wushu wants to lead his main force south, straight for the Song Emperor, but can't be bothered to turn back for an imperial decree. He just wants me, the Deputy Army Supervisor, to give him the go-ahead... What do you say?"

Scholar Qin was startled for a moment, then almost blurted out: "The Fourth Prince is the late Emperor's own son. Looking to the future, his prospects are vast. There's no need to offend him over this. But if the southern advance meets even slight resistance, the blame will fall on you, Deputy Commander!"

"Well said!" Talan raised a finger and pointed at the other man seriously. "This is why both Nianhan and I respect you... But today I'm not asking Scholar Qin to be a staff officer. Wushu is pressing hard—I need you to make a quick decision for me!"

Scholar Qin was stunned for a moment: "How can I, a mere surrendered man, make such a huge decision for you, Deputy Commander?"

"It's not like that. Scholar Qin is smarter than me—I understand that much. You don't have to take responsibility. Just say one word!" Talan was quite bold.

Scholar Qin felt helpless and found it absurd, but he bowed again: "Forgive me, Deputy Commander. I am, after all, a surrendered official of the Song court. My mind is in turmoil right now. Give me the time it takes to burn half a stick of incense. Let me go back and think it over, and I'll return with an answer immediately!"

"Go on, then." Talan was unconcerned. "I know Scholar Qin is quick on his feet and keeps his word. I'll wait here for your reply..."

That Scholar Qin—none other than the representative figure of the pro-war faction during the Jingkang era of Great Song, Censor-in-Chief Qin Hui, also known as Qin Huizhi—thanked Talan for his understanding and hurried away, but he did not go far at all.

On the contrary, the moment he stepped out the door into the snow outside, he stopped in his tracks. He looked up at the sky and let out a long sigh, as if remembering something. Then he turned straight back and bowed:

"Deputy Commander!"

"Speak!" Talan stroked his beard with satisfaction.

"Just push this matter onto Liu Guangshi!" Qin Hui bowed from the threshold. "Set a deadline and requirement for the Fourth Prince. Besides dividing his forces to take Great Ming Prefecture, he must also break through Liu Guangshi's defense line of six military prefectures south of Mount Tai before the new year. If he can, let him go. If he can't, don't allow him to go!"

"Excellent!" Wanyan Talan stroked his beard and stood up, greatly excited. "Truly Scholar Qin!"

"Let me inform you, Deputy Commander—I was once a Song official. Speaking thus is also a matter of resigning myself to fate, setting a binding agreement for myself." Qin Hui explained in a low voice, but by then Talan had already risen and left, not hearing a word.

Qin Hui had no choice but to lower his head and hurry back into the courtyard.

Leaving aside Qin Huizhi's tangled thoughts, at the same time, Wanyan Talan turned back into the front hall. He found that, for some reason, the hall was still as quiet as before. Thinking everyone was waiting for his result, he sat down directly and calmly laid out the plan he had obtained.

"That's the reasoning." Talan sat stroking his beard, looking exceptionally relaxed. "So, Wushu, do you dare accept it?"

Jin Wushu heard this, looked left and right, exchanged glances with many in the hall, and signaled with his eyes. But he remained silent for a long time, until Talan grew impatient, before finally asking: "May I ask, Uncle, which staff officer in your residence came up with this idea?"

"Scholar Qin." Talan did not hide it. "The Lord of the Nation specially bestowed him upon me when I came... Don't think about bullying him. I intend to keep him for important use."

Jin Wushu nodded repeatedly, but the corners of his mouth curled up slightly: "I'm not going to bully him. I'm going to specially invite him to a banquet when I return from the campaign, and give him a few imperial princesses, tens of thousands of bolts of cloth, and tens of thousands of strings of cash!"

Talan was baffled.

Only then did Jin Wushu throw his head back and laugh, drawing all the Jin generals in the hall into laughter, so loud it shook the roof tiles, sending the accumulated snow tumbling down.

Talan grew even more confused.

And Jin Wushu finally stopped being cryptic: "Let me inform you, Uncle—just now, a military rider reported that Liu Guangshi, taking advantage of the snow, has abandoned all six military prefectures and fled south with his entire army! Heaven itself wills the destruction of Song!"

Talan was stunned for a moment, then suddenly stood up, raised his cup, and turned to smile: "In that case, I wish you, Wushu, swift success and great merit... But you don't need to send Scholar Qin any imperial princesses. Everyone in my residence knows—Scholar Qin is terrified of his wife!"

Jin Wushu laughed even harder at this, laughing until tears came to his eyes.