Chapter 305: Autumn Rain (Continued)

The same autumn rain, yet the autumn rain in Yanjing was quite different from that in Dongjing, at least in terms of temperature.

After the meeting ended, the three princes departed in order. The last one was none other than the young Prince of Wei of the Great Jin, Wanyan Wushu. He waited until his two elder brothers had mounted their horses and left before emerging from the main council hall of the Secretariat. But first, under the eaves in front of the door, he took a white fur robe from his personal guard, carefully and earnestly put it on, then donned a strange white leather cap, and finally slowly descended the steps... This outfit, not to mention compared to the previous two princes, even stood in stark contrast to the other burly Jurchen nobles in front of the hall, especially those whose heads revealed hairstyles like three rat tails.

Moreover, an obvious fact was that since Wushu had ascended to the highest seat of power, everyone had taken renewed notice of the Fourth Prince's old wound. It was supposedly sustained during a confrontation with the sovereign to the south, and it had been four or five years now.

Furthermore, barring any accidents, this wound should be near the groin area.

There were even vulgar people who, with a certain malice, claimed that the Fourth Prince had been fleeing with his rear end stuck out when Han Shizhong shot an arrow from behind, hitting him four or five *fen* below the navel, between the two passages of water and waste. This not only left him with lingering ailments from ordinary injuries, such as fear of cold, heat, and rain, but also made it difficult for him to relieve himself. It might even have damaged his kidneys, rendering him impotent. The fact that the Fourth Prince had not grown a beard for a while was cited as evidence.

However, the latter was clearly slander, because the Fourth Prince had recently started growing a beard again. A more reasonable guess was that the wound on the Fourth Prince's thigh had long since healed, but during the Battle of Yaoshan, he had fled in disgrace, crossing the river on a "wooden dragon" and soaking for too long, which had caused him to contract a new illness, leaving behind other ailments that weakened his body.

But regardless, in this place where Nianhan had been hammered to death, no matter what shape or posture the Fourth Prince was in, no one dared to show any hint of disdain. Otherwise, they would truly have lost their minds.

The rain pattered down, stopping and starting. Since the major matters had been discussed and settled, and the princes had dispersed first, the remaining civil and military officials, whether Jurchen, Khitan, Xi, or Han, all left as well. Only the autumn rain continued to fall, carrying a chill. Although not everyone felt the need to don fur robes as early as the Fourth Prince, going back early to drink a bowl of mutton soup to warm the body was still an excellent idea.

"Fourth Prince."

As a form of address rarely heard these days sounded behind him, Wushu, wrapped in his fur robe, turned around. He couldn't help but smile slightly in the rain, then reined in his horse to wait. It turned out that the one behind him was Vice Commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs, Qin Hui, who had personally ridden over.

When Qin Hui reached him, Wushu said with a smile, "Huizhi, everyone else calls me His Highness the Prince of Wei now. Why are you the only one still calling me Fourth Prince? My nephew is already the ruler of the state. How can I still be a prince?"

Qin Hui, whose pale face was dotted with a few raindrops, laughed out loud. Shaking his head while holding the reins, he said, "I understand in my heart, but my mouth just can't seem to change!"

"No matter." Wushu shook his head and smiled again. "The ruler of the state wouldn't strip me of my position as Privy Councilor over such a trivial matter... Huizhi, what are you looking for me for? I just saw your friend, Academician Hong, go to find Xiyin. In this weather, wouldn't it be better for you learned men to gather for some wine and poetry, and then, following the discussions in the Southern court gazettes, debate the matter of 'deepening reforms'?"

"Is the Fourth Prince trying to drive me away?" Qin Hui, now riding side by side with Wanyan Wushu, continued the jest, but then couldn't help sighing. "Actually, if Academician Hong knew the Fourth Prince was so approachable, he would have come over long ago... But his position is difficult. Although the Great Jin acts magnanimously and treats those from the Qi state well—Liu Yu can live as a wealthy man, and Liu Ni and Li Qibing, even after losing their armies, can still serve as commanders—and he himself was placed in the central government upon arrival, he is still somewhat worried... Therefore, he can't even get close to his old master, Talan, who is now the garrison commander of Yanjing, nor can he easily come to me. He can only go to his superior, Vice Grand Councilor Xiyin."

"Tell him to rest assured and do his work." Wushu immediately responded in a loud voice. "As long as he works with dedication, regardless of whether one is Jurchen, Khitan, Xi, or Han, the Great Jin treats everyone equally. I said so!"

This was exactly what Qin Hui had been waiting to hear, but he hadn't expected to get it so quickly. Naturally, he hurriedly acknowledged it, then prepared to find an opportunity to leave... After the coup, the situation was delicate. And Qin Huizhi, as slippery as an eel, despite having a proper relationship with Wushu before, dared not easily commit himself among the three princes, especially with a young, intelligent, and fully Sinicized legitimate ruler sitting above them.

However, after exchanging a few casual remarks and riding together in the rain for a while, just as they were about to part, the rain suddenly intensified again... This was the troublesome part of autumn rain. It never completely stopped; at best, it would ease for a while, then suddenly flare up again. Yet it was never as violent as summer rain, just a continuous drizzle, carrying a chill that pierced the heart and lungs.

Wushu and Qin Hui had no choice but to stop by the roadside. They had someone knock on the door of a street-side tavern. Without ordering any food, they simply tossed a few gold coins to the still-trembling shopkeeper, had him set up a table in the front room facing the street, warm a pot of wine, and told the kitchen to cook some mutton soup for their attendants.

As for Wushu and Qin Hui themselves, they sat right by the street, warming their wine and watching the rain.

Now, Qin Hui had originally only intended to put in a good word for Hong Ya, test the waters, and had no intention of a deep conversation. But now, given their previous political connection, if they didn't say something, it would seem distant.

"Fourth Prince."

The shopkeeper, after setting out the cups over a charcoal stove boiling water with the wine bottle immersed in it, wisely retreated. Qin Hui glanced at the few armored soldiers inside the shop, recognizing them as Wushu's long-time attendants. He then picked up the wine pot to pour, taking the opportunity to speak.

"Hmm?"

"I am not very clear about matters among the Jurchen nobles or military affairs, so I would like to ask: on this trip to Hexi, does the Fourth Prince have complete confidence?" Qin Hui personally offered the warm wine, his face earnest.

"How could there be complete confidence?" Wushu took the wine, took a small sip, and let out a long sigh as he gazed at the curtain of rain ahead. "This trip is clearly to seize Huonü's military power and territory, to take away the foundation of his life and fortune. How could there be complete confidence? But Huonü is, after all, the son of Loushi. If he has any sense, he should know that if he truly makes a move against me, Wushu, or does anything disrespectful, his own power will vanish like smoke. So, complete confidence I don't have, but seventy or eighty percent I do."

Qin Hui looked thoughtful.

"What does Grand Councilor Qin think?" Wushu suddenly glanced over.

"There's nothing to think about." Qin Hui clutched his ceramic wine cup, still looking thoughtful. "It's just a pity... As the saying goes, 'A man of wealth should not sit under a beam.' Given the Fourth Prince's exalted status, even if the danger were only ten or twenty percent, you shouldn't rashly go to Hexi. Moreover, even if you subdue Huonü and send those twenty to thirty thousand troops back to Hedong, giving a great favor to Bailsu, the Western Route Army is still under the control of the Third Prince. It brings no benefit to the Fourth Prince. This trip to Hexi is truly nothing but hard labor with no reward."

"What of it, even if it's just hard labor?" Wushu slapped his knee and laughed. "I am the youngest of us three brothers. If I don't go out and run around, how can I handle the situation?"

Qin Hui remained silent.

Seeing this, Wushu gradually stopped smiling. "Huizhi, I know what you're thinking. I also want power. I also want to act without restraint. But since we killed Nianhan and carried out the deposition, we must emphasize unity and sincerity. Otherwise, chaos will surely ensue... The three of us brothers standing firm like a tripod is already good enough."

"Of course, I understand this principle. I was just lamenting the difficulty of getting things done." Qin Hui took a small sip, then set down his cup. He sat there with his hands tucked into his sleeves, frowning as he watched the rain. "Nianhan is gone, but we still can't negotiate peace. The three princes, blood brothers, govern together with unity and sincerity, yet every step is still arduous... No sooner had we pacified the Jingdong matter and were about to deal with the Hebei region, than Huonü stirred up trouble. It's too coincidental."

"Coincidental or not." Wushu shook his head in response. "The overall situation is like this. Getting things done is supposed to be this difficult. That's always been the way since ancient times. One shouldn't complain about fate or others."

Qin Huizhi was finally taken aback.

But Wushu had already continued earnestly: "Although those few articles in the Song court gazettes analyzing the situation between the two countries are somewhat exaggerated, there is some truth in them... As the saying goes, 'When the time comes, heaven and earth lend their strength; when fortune departs, even a hero is not free.' Right now, neither we nor the South have reached the point of losing fortune, nor have we enjoyed the ease of favorable times. Everyone has to work hard under various difficulties. Everyone is struggling. So no matter what, no matter how difficult, we must see things through!"

Qin Hui still said nothing.

"Grand Councilor Qin was absolutely right that time at Huguan." The rain had lightened, but Wushu showed no sign of getting up. He continued to pour and drink by himself, watching and sighing. "Since the Great Jin cannot advance, we must stabilize the situation. To stabilize the situation, the fighting is in Hedong, the governance is in Hebei, but the root is always in Hebei... Because the bandits in the Taihang Mountains all fled from Hebei. And for Hebei to have long-term peace and stability, the *meng'an* must be separated from the localities. Conversely, only then can the army be strengthened and finances benefited."

Qin Hui still sat with his hands tucked in his sleeves, saying nothing.

"What do you think, Huizhi?" Wushu finally grew a bit impatient.

"What can I think?" Qin Hui shook his head with a sigh, then stood up again. While refilling Wushu's cup, he calmly replied, "Everyone knows the principle that getting things done is difficult since ancient times. Don't say we are struggling. Is the sovereign to the south not struggling as well?"

Wushu was slightly startled, then smiled bitterly:

"That is indeed the truth. He is also a man. He also had to start working from the situation after the Jingkang Incident. If we find it so difficult now, how could he not? Yet he gritted his teeth and carried on."

"Not just in the past, but even now, isn't he still gritting his teeth and working?" Qin Huizhi continued shaking his head. "Regarding the matter of the White Horse and Shaoxing, everyone in the world said he was unfilial, but that's not the case... Because at that time, how could he care about two retired emperors who had lost the people's support? The root of that matter was expelling seventy or eighty people who were unwilling to work with him... In my opinion, the Fourth Prince, compared to the sovereign to the south, lacks a certain grace. He started working from such a state, with such difficulty. Have you ever seen him sitting in the rain lamenting his own hardships? Instead, it is the Fourth Prince who has shown weakness today."

Wushu let out a long sigh, then raised his cup and drained it in one gulp. He shook his head and said, "That is indeed the reasoning. But let me say this: the current situation of the Zhao Song is still a bit better than ours... Because the situation now is that we want to get things done, and that sovereign of the Zhao Song also wants to get things done. But Huonü has chosen this moment to stir up trouble, preventing us from getting things done... The only difference is that the Zhao Song's territory is larger. They can separate Guanzhong. While fighting is going on in Guanzhong, the Central Plains and the Southeast can still function normally. We cannot."

Faced with this tongue-twister of a statement, Qin Hui merely gave a sardonic smile.

"Enough." Seeing this, Wushu simply stood up. "The road ahead is difficult. Let us go forward and encourage each other. There's no need to complain about fate or others."

Qin Hui also stood up, and they walked out of the door together, preparing to part ways there.

However, after riding a few steps, Qin Hui, thinking of Wushu's toughness and the Zhao Song councilors enfeoffed as princes in the court gazettes, could not calm his heart. He turned around in the fine autumn rain and was immediately stunned... It turned out that Wanyan Wushu had long since reined in his horse in the rain, not moving, not even wearing his cap, just looking up at him, as if waiting for him to speak.

"Fourth Prince." Qin Hui's heart fluttered, and he quickly responded.

Wushu nodded slightly in the rain. "I knew that a clever man like Grand Councilor Qin would have some words to teach me."

"Fourth Prince, you have just clearly laid out the situation." Qin Hui struggled to maintain a calm demeanor. "And I now have a plan. If it succeeds, it will not only allow our Great Jin to work in peace but also prevent the Zhao Song to the south from doing so. But if it fails, it will become a laughingstock. I wonder if the Fourth Prince has the boldness for it..."

Wushu smiled but said nothing.

"Has the Fourth Prince heard of the Battle of Changping during the Warring States period?" Qin Hui gritted his teeth and spoke seriously. "The Battle of Changping began when Qin attacked the Korean exclave of Shangdang, which is the land of Longde Prefecture. Korea could not defend it, so they ceded the land to Zhao. Thus, Qin and Zhao fought a great decisive battle there for the land of Shangdang..."

Wushu's heart stirred violently, and he almost instantly understood. But for a moment, he was tongue-tied and could not respond.

Qin Hui had no choice but to continue forcefully: "Previously, the Western Xia bribed the traitor Nianhan heavily, seeking the former Liao northwestern territories. Nianhan had promised this four or five years ago, but it was repeatedly delayed due to Yelu Dashi, the Mongols, and the southern war. After Nianhan's death, the Western Xia became even more fearful and anxious, to the point of withdrawing their envoys and instead sending envoys to the Zhao Song. But everyone in the world knows that the Western Xia and the Zhao Song have been enemies for a hundred years, with a blood feud as deep as the sea. How could they truly join hands with the Song against the Jin? This move is nothing more than a show for our Great Jin to see... Since that is the case, why not give the Western Xia a great bargain?"

"Give Yan'an Prefecture to Li Qianshun?!" Wushu finally spoke the words in his heart.

"Not just Yan'an Prefecture, but also Suide Army, Jinning Army, and even the three prefectures beyond the river, as well as the former Liao lands north of the Yinshan Mountains. In short, the lands north and south of the Hengshan and Yinshan ranges can all be given to them!" Qin Hui, having reached this point, was completely unguarded. "To the Great Jin, these places are mere borderlands, poor and useless. But to the Western Xia, they are the foundation they have sought for a hundred years! To go even further, if Huonü wants to fight to the death, why not also give Huonü and part of his army to them?! Let's see if the Western Xia can resist the temptation! And if the Western Xia cannot resist and pours its entire nation into swallowing northern Shaanxi, let's see if the Zhao Song will fight a national war with them! If the two states go to war, the disaster in Guanzhong will belong to the Zhao Song, and our Great Jin can slip away like a cicada shedding its shell, gaining the advantage of timing! I only ask the Fourth Prince, do you have the boldness for this?"

Wushu did not utter a single word in response. He simply turned his horse and rode away.

"Fourth Prince!" Qin Hui, despite having proposed this extraordinary strategy, felt a sense of panic himself. He called out again from behind. "This plan also has its risks. If the Song can quickly defeat the Western Xia, it will be a reckless act of aiding the enemy. In the end, it is about setting the problem for others! To see what they are capable of!"

Wushu still did not respond, disappearing directly into the curtain of rain. Qin Huizhi stood there, wanting to pursue but not daring to, wanting to retreat but not daring to. As the rain intensified again, soaking him through, he finally had no choice but to turn his horse and ride away in a fluster.

The weather was turning colder by the day. Since the Great Jin's Prince of Wei, Military Commissioner Wanyan Wushu, had been tasked with handling the Hexi affairs of Wanyan Huonü, he rode swiftly out of Yanshan and reached Zhending Prefecture in five or six days. At that time, the autumn rains that had continued unabated for half a month finally ceased.

"Go and do one thing." That evening, Wushu summoned two trusted guards and handed over two letters. "A Da, go first, make a big show of it, head to Taiyuan, and deliver this letter to Taiyuan Defender Boli Su. A Er, wait half a day, don't alert too many people, go directly to find Yelu Ma Wu, and give him this letter."

The two Xi guards naturally had nothing to say and simply followed the orders.

At the end of the tenth month, still autumn, the Khitan surrendered general Yelu Yudu, who was idling in Linfen, was preparing to head north to Taiyuan to welcome the Fourth Prince Wushu. But before he could set out, he received an order from his former subordinate Yelu Ma Wu to cross the river and go to Yan'an to comfort the army.

Yelu Yudu only thought he was being sidelined again, but he could only endure and follow the military orders... However, after crossing the river, the Khitan Meng'an who accompanied him, seemingly as a supervisor, suddenly stopped at the ferry and directly told Yudu a shocking piece of information—the Fourth Prince's purpose on this trip was actually to kill him, Yelu Yudu, to establish his authority. The Wanhu Yelu Ma Wu had learned the news in advance and, remembering past kindness, had specially sent him here.

"Grand General, the Western Xia ruler is after all the Khitan's son-in-law. Take advantage of General Huonü's ignorance and go defect to the Western Xia people... Don't make things difficult for us." The Khitan Meng'an spoke earnestly, left only this sentence, then turned and took all the boats back across the river to Hedong.

Poor Yelu Yudu, once a man of the hour who had held the military and political power of the Great Liao, and after surrendering to Aguda, had once been the Grand Marshal Supervisor of the Great Jin, wielding real military authority, even being regarded by the Great Song as a lifeline during the Jingkang Incident... But now, looking around, he had only two or three hundred trusted followers with him, isolated west of the Great River, unable even to retrieve his family. He was truly speechless.

He could only lament that fortunately the autumn rains had stopped, or he would have truly been tempted to throw himself into the Yellow River.

PS: Thanks to classmate Running Meat Bun, the 123rd Meng has appeared. Also thanks to big shot Life is a Tea Table for the three alliances, and thanks to big shot camelyexs for the double alliance... I am completely grateful... As for big shot Liuli Qin's two Silver Alliance... I feel an urge to completely give up and be a scumbag!

How can I deserve this?!