Chapter 332: Leftover Manuscripts

After seeing off Yelu Dashi, Zhao Jiu returned to Xingqing Prefecture. After briefly handling some official documents, he crossed the river to Lingzhou with only his Imperial Personal Guard, light of baggage. He stayed there for two days, then chose to follow the Lingzhou River south, passing through Weizhou and crossing the Hanhai Desert, before arriving at Huanzhou.

From there, he followed the Jinghe River all the way south, passing through Huanzhou, Qingzhou, Ningzhou, Binzhou, and Yaozhou in turn. He would stop for one or two days at the shortest, three or four at the longest, either inspecting the autumn harvest, checking government treasuries, or going deep into townships. Adding in the travel time itself, he did not enter Jingzhao until the beginning of the eighth month.

By the time he reached Jingzhao, the results of this northwestern turmoil had already spread throughout the realm, and even the details of the Jinhebo Alliance were known to all under heaven.

And just as Zhao Jiu had imagined, this time the Great Song had excelled at the highest stratagems—first attacking the enemy's plans, then attacking their alliances. Whether it was using a clever touch to deflect a thousand-pound force, wiping out the century-old nemesis Western Xia in one fell swoop; or seizing the opportunity of the Jurchens' strategic contraction to sweep through the northwest; or the alliance that treated the barbarian states as vassals—all were unprecedented feats, and they truly struck a chord of excitement throughout the Great Song, from top to bottom.

There was no help for it. Since the Jingkang Incident, the entire Great Song had received nothing but bad news; even the Battle of Yaoshan had been a defensive one. And this achievement, though those who truly understood knew it was caused by the Jurchens' own strategic contraction, still felt like a dream.

After all, even those clear-sighted people had to admit that Zhao Song's Sovereign's move of sailing with the current was truly formidable... The whole realm still thought it was the Jurchens who had been beaten back in great strides! What's more, to triumph in the court, to triumph through stratagems and alliances, to use the grand momentum and schemes to avoid battle and gain so much territory and results—this in itself was something that highly conformed to their values.

Relatively speaking, they were more regretful about the haste of the Jinhebo Alliance, regretful that they could not participate in this grand event themselves.

Therefore, after the Sovereign Zhao set out from Xingqing Prefecture, the congratulatory memorials and official documents never stopped along the way. After arriving at Chang'an, he became even more aware of the intense political, military, and even cultural and economic reactions brought about by this great advance.

For example, only after arriving in Chang'an did Zhao Jiu discover that the various Tubo tribes had long since sent envoys in large numbers to wait for him there, and many tributary envoys from the Western Regions had also gathered... According to Yuwen Xuzhong's report, almost all of the Qinghai tribes north of the Great Jinchuan in Tubo had arrived this time. Having lost the shelter of Western Xia, and with the Western Regions having become the territory of the Great Song's allies, these tribes had completely lost the foundation for their independent existence and could only submit.

On the other hand, regarding the Western Regions, considering the time and distance, it was probably more a case of merchant caravans taking the opportunity to disguise themselves as envoys to swindle money... which could be considered a traditional skill of the Western Regions city-states.

In response, Zhao Jiu would not be a fool to be taken advantage of. Of course, he would speak kindly to the arriving Tubo people, grant them official positions as appropriate, incorporate them into the system as appropriate, and give them trade benefits as appropriate, but he would not give them any extra money or grain.

As for the various 'envoys' from the Western Regions, Zhao Jiu simply had Yuwen Xuzhong meet with them all at once and proposed a plan to establish an independent, low-tax large market in Lanzhou to serve as a hub for East-West traffic, inviting these experts to participate in the discussion.

Of course, the matters of Tubo and the Western Regions were ultimately just side issues; the intense internal reaction was the real crux.

First came the administrative division plan... In Dongjing, someone had cooked up a plan for a major integration of the six circuits west of the Pass.

According to this plan, the entire six circuits west of the Pass, including the few prefectures outside the River and east of the River that had not yet been brought under administrative coordination, would be unified and merged into three circuits.

Chang'an and the northern Shaanbei region, including part of the eastern side of the Hengshan range, all the way to the three prefectures outside the River and the northernmost Dongsheng Prefecture, would be unified as the Shaanxi Circuit.

The Ningxia Circuit, after removing some prefectures and commanderies from the Hengshan area, would gain Huaide Army, Huizhou, Xi'an Prefecture, and Zhenrong Army to the south.

As for the remaining part, it would take the Qin-Feng Circuit as its core, unifying control over the northwest region, including the key northwestern hub of Lanzhou, to form a new, larger Qin-Feng Circuit.

This arrangement naturally had its reasoning. For example, in the Shaanxi Circuit, the south had Chang'an as the central hub of relations, with a Commissioner-in-Chief stationed there, while the north was mostly a war zone. Han Shizhong and his Left Army of the Imperial Encampment, as well as the various units of the Rear Army of the Imperial Encampment led by Wu Jie, were clearly meant to be deployed and stationed here, facilitating unified logistical dispatch and command for the military standoff with the Jurchens.

The arrangement of the Ningxia Circuit and the Qin-Feng Circuit also had its logic, including both a design to split the core area of the Tangut people and an intention to incorporate some traditionally Han-occupied areas into the Ningxia Circuit to aid Sinicization.

Zhao Jiu approved this plan in principle but suggested a slight delay, considering that the various regions had just emerged from military operations and popular sentiment was unstable, and that the autumn harvest was either ongoing or not yet completed in some areas.

In a sense, this was an objective way to reduce these places' taxes for half a year and to give some convenience to the generals in the military occupation zones.

At the same time, Zhao Jiu himself was not idle.

It must be known that with Yuwen Xuzhong, a Commissioner-in-Chief, already here, according to an unwritten rule since the Jianyan era, when the Son of Heaven and a Grand Councilor got together, they could legitimately exercise the highest authority... especially on sensitive personnel matters. Deciding them here was far better than waiting to do so back in Dongjing.

Specifically, Wang Yan, the Grand Coordinator of the Qin-Feng Circuit, received commendation and additional rewards for his logistical coordination efforts. He was also recalled to the Imperial Encampment to serve as Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Encampment, concurrently holding the posts of Director of the Bureau of Military Affairs and Military Advisor to the Bureau of Military Affairs.

Hu Yin's position as Fiscal Commissioner of the Five Circuits was abolished, and he was reassigned as Minister of Works, but he was to wait until the reorganization of the Shaanxi Circuit was complete before taking up the post.

Minister of Works Liang Yangzu was transferred to be Vice Grand Councilor of the Central Secretariat, and the Central Secretariat and the Ministry of Rites were instructed to deliberate on his various merits since the Jingkang era, preparing to grant him a noble title of excellence... This meant he would retire with the status of a Grand Councilor. Considering Liang Yangzu's political stance and consistent position, this was probably what he sought.

As for Wang Yuan, Zhao Jiu also remembered his hard work and added the position of Vice Commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs, allowing him to retire as a deputy national-level leader.

In addition, Zhao Kai, the Fiscal Judge of the nine circuits of Shaanxi and Bashu, was promoted to Grand Coordinator of the Qin-Feng Circuit for his merits. From a mere local Fiscal Judge during the chaos of the Jingkang era, after years of hard work, he formally entered the highest echelon of the imperial bureaucracy.

The transfers of Hu Yin and Zhao Kai also signified the abolition of the former wartime nine-circuit and five-circuit fiscal systems for the region west of the Pass.

At the same time, Liu Ziyu, the Grand Coordinator of the Lizhou Circuit, was transferred to be Minister of War. Lin Jingmo, the Grand Coordinator of the Chengdu Circuit, was transferred to be Minister of Revenue. Liu Hongdao, the Grand Coordinator of the Jiangxi Circuit, was transferred to be Vice Minister of War and concurrently Judge of the Waterways Commission. Ma Shen, the Grand Coordinator of Hubei, was transferred to be Minister of Justice.

Hu Shijiang, the Minister of War, was transferred to be Grand Coordinator of the Shaanxi Circuit. Lin Qi, the Minister of Revenue, was sent out to be Grand Coordinator of the Lizhou Circuit. Wang Shu, the Minister of Justice, was sent out to be Grand Coordinator of the Chengdu Circuit. Lu Zhi, the Vice Minister of Personnel, was sent out to be Grand Coordinator of the Jiangxi Circuit.

As for the various other vacancies to be filled, they also came in a flood.

Suffice it to say, this series of personnel adjustments was enough to shock the court. At first glance, one might think that the Sovereign Zhao, who had always valued court stability, was about to stir things up.

But in reality, a careful look would make it clear that it was nothing more than taking the opportunity of the northwest integration and Liang Yangzu's retirement to swap internal and external high officials who had performed adequately or excellently.

This kind of swap could not be compared to the White Horse Incident of Shaoxing, and it even seemed weaker than the round of adjustments after the Battle of Yaoshan. At that time, adjustments were made directly at the level of Grand Councilors. This time, to maintain the consistency of court policy and as a response to the excellent governance performance of the Grand Councilors in previous years, the four Grand Councilors in the court and the two Commissioners-in-Chief in Chang'an and the southeast were not moved at all.

However, while the same action, from a high-level perspective, indicated that the Sovereign Zhao had no intention of making sweeping changes, in the eyes of others, it still led to a certain misjudgment from one angle.

Just as the Sovereign Zhao was conducting large-scale personnel adjustments in Chang'an, suddenly, an official who had rendered much hard work this time and had been transferred to be the Prefect of Huangzhou—a man with a background as a military examination graduate who had also served as a capital official and had accompanied Hu Hongxiu on a trip to the Western Regions, named Liang Jiaying—directly submitted a memorial, advising the Sovereign Zhao not to return to Dongjing but to stay in Chang'an and move the capital there permanently!

The reasons were, of course, sufficient. After pacifying Western Xia and sweeping the northwest, the entire region west of the Pass had become completely stable. Moreover, the return of the Xing-Ling grain-producing area and the opening of the trade routes to the Western Regions and the Hetao would greatly stimulate Chang'an's revival. As for conventional arguments like the terrain of Guanzhong, they needed no further questioning—they had been tested for over a thousand years.

Besides this, the memorial also raised a point: from the Battle of Yaoshan to this northwestern turmoil, it had confirmed the correctness of the shared view of Commander Yue Pengju and Vice Minister of Personnel Lu Zhi—to pacify and eliminate the Jurchens, one must occupy a commanding position, sweep the region west of the Pass, then advance out of Hedong, occupy the Taihang Mountains, and look down from a height, only then can one fully take Hebei and press forward to Yan-Yun.

Since this was the case, it would be better for the Sovereign to stay in Guanzhong to manage affairs, gather strength, and then advance out of Hedong.

Liang Jiaying was certainly a rising star, but he himself was utterly insignificant. Yet this memorial of his was truly earth-shattering, completely shaking Chang'an and Dongjing, and even the entire realm.

Even Zhao Jiu was momentarily filled with doubt.

Then, after coming to his senses, local officials west of the Pass submitted memorials expressing agreement one after another. Soon, memorials from within Dongjing city also flew in like snowflakes... But interestingly, the opinions from Dongjing were not all opposed. Led by Grand Councilor Zhang Jun, whose family was in Bashu and who was said to be almost mad with regret for not having followed the Sovereign Zhao to participate in the grand alliance event, they also expressed agreement!

Several high-ranking central officials who were about to be transferred into the region west of the Pass immediately changed their stance and, together with Vice Minister of Personnel Lu Zhi, supported moving the capital.

Even several frontline commanders—Han Shizhong, Wu Jie, Qu Duan, and Wang De—all sent urgent memorials by fast horse, advising the Sovereign to stay... Yue Fei, who was still in Lanzhou responsible for pacifying the former Western Xia's Western Shou Bao Tai Army Command, also cautiously submitted a memorial expressing a degree of agreement.

However, the main body of officials at various levels in Dongjing, led by the Grand Councilor of the Central Secretariat, expressed opposition.

It seemed that the situation that had completely divided the court in the early Jianyan years over the choice of the temporary capital was about to reappear.

Yet, after some hesitation, Zhao Jiu followed the advice of Grand Councilor of the Central Secretariat Zhao Ding and Commissioner-in-Chief in Chang'an Yuwen Xuzhong, and abandoned the idea. To reiterate, the state needed a long-term stable situation, and policies needed the guarantee of a continuous political situation. The uncertainty brought by moving the capital was too great.

As for the future issue of launching a counterattack from Hedong, the distance between Chang'an and Dongjing was not so exaggerated as to require this. At worst, he, the Sovereign, could come to Chang'an again when the time came.

With his decision made, Zhao Jiu abandoned his original plan to wait for Minister Lin and others. Right after the Mid-Autumn Festival, he set off eastward directly with Wang Yan, who had arrived first, and the Imperial Personal Guard... He only made a brief stop when passing through Shanzhou, to discuss possible future Hedong strategy face-to-face with Li Yanxian. He also had Wang Yan cross the river to receive Ma Kuo, who was coming south again, as soon as possible. Only then did he set off again, passing through Luoyang to offer sacrifices to Wang Boyan, and finally, at the end of the eighth month, returned to the long-parted Dongjing city.

Upon returning to Dongjing, with the prestige of this great victory and the annihilation of Western Xia, naturally all the officials came out thirty li from the city to welcome him in the suburbs. The Sovereign Zhao took the opportunity to ascend Yuctai, leading the officials in sacrificing to the nameless spirit tablets, before turning back into the city. There, he finally saw his two Imperial Consorts, each holding a son—the two ugly babies Zhao Yuanzuo and Zhao Dezhao—coming to greet him.

This was destined to be another matter worth discussing, and there would certainly be a host of troubles in the future. Just one meeting gave the Sovereign Zhao a headache... This was only natural—whose family didn't find raising sons a troublesome affair?

Even the Sovereign Zhao's family, with all its real estate, could not escape this.

What's more, for the Sovereign Zhao at this time, these two sons held greater political significance. Compared to his daughters, they were inevitably less interesting.

Therefore, the Sovereign Zhao simply picked up his most beloved little princess, Yiyou, and went straight into the palace, bypassing his two sons.

After returning to the palace, the following days were filled with numerous and complex affairs, with a constant stream of personnel interactions.

Not to mention anything else, matters like the mutual transfer of the six Ministers and the various Circuit Grand Coordinators, as well as the integration of the administrative divisions in the northwest, all involved a massive amount of personnel... The top-level changes were just the tip of the iceberg; the appointment, removal, and transfer of a large number of mid-level officials was the most terrifying part. Besides this, there were also the issues of promotions and rewards for the soldiers of the various Imperial Encampment units who had rendered great service this time.

Under these circumstances, the Sovereign Zhao did not even go to see off the international friend Zheng Zhichang, who had rendered great service this time, when he came to bid farewell.

However, during this period, at the beginning of the ninth month, a matter, or rather the arrival of a person, unexpectedly and unreasonably captured the attention of the entire imperial central government... The personnel issues, which were extremely serious for the court and the political situation, were temporarily overshadowed by this person's arrival.

The man who came was called Zhe Keqiu.

In truth, Zhe Keqiu had not come alone; this time he had brought many Zhe clan scions, as well as the Western Xia imperial clansman general Weiming Yunge, the Western Xia Crown Prince Li Renxiao, and the Prince of Yue Li Renyou… these were the living ones… and also the severed head of the Western Xia ruler Li Qianshun.

This was likely precisely the reason he had delayed until now to enter the capital and seek an audience with the Emperor.

In truth, Zhe Keqiu had indeed performed outstandingly this time. First, the timing of his return to allegiance was excellent, allowing the Great Song to reclaim the prefectures beyond the River without bloodshed. Moreover, he had played a very important role in a series of military actions, such as driving out Wanyan Huonü, controlling the Khitan tribes beyond the River, and threatening Hengshan.

It could be said entirely that without the Zhe clan’s early defection during the Hengshan attack-and-defense phase, His Majesty Zhao’s great advance into the Hetao region this time would not have been so easy.

Added to this were Li Qianshun’s severed head and his two sons—his military merit was beyond doubt.

At the same time, there seemed no need to discuss the loyalty of the many Zhe clan scions accompanying him. Below Zhe Keqiu, the Zhe clan actually had a large number of scions who had been taken captive along with the Two Emperors during the Jingkang era. During the Jianyan era, they would rather suffer beyond the passes than return to Fuzhou after it surrendered. It was only after the Shaoxing Incident, when the Two Emperors returned south, that they were sent back home.

On this point, many who had been captured could testify.

There was also Zhe Yanzhi, who held a very high position in the Zhe clan. Already over fifty years old, he disregarded the fact that all his children were in Fuzhou. Over the past few years, through ups and downs, demotions and reappointments, he had never complained and had always been sincere in his duties. Having just been transferred from Bashu, he was now additionally appointed as Vice Minister of Revenue and Director of the Directorate of Armaments, making him a high-ranking official at the level of the Secret Pavilion.

From these reasons, or from these perspectives, even if everyone hadn’t said it outright, one could sense a subtle atmosphere… To put it bluntly, many people leaned toward the court granting amnesty to the Zhe clan, especially since the merit of Li Qianshun and his sons this time provided a truly enormous stepping stone.

However, Zhe Keqiu had, after all, openly surrendered to the Jurchens during the Jingkang-Jianyan war, and His Majesty Zhao had issued a decree of no amnesty before his surrender.

Of course, looking at it from the other side, times change. Since the court had taken all of the Northwest and the century-old nemesis Western Xia was no more, the momentum of restoration was undeniable.

Under these circumstances, should they still insist on the previous harsh measures?

Relaxing a little, sending a signal to many in the north, would be the most appropriate course, wouldn’t it?

But after much thought, these were all idle speculations from those below. Having gone through this great Northwest campaign, the destruction of Western Xia, and the alliance at Jinhepo, His Majesty Zhao’s authority was growing daily. Everything still depended on the Emperor’s decision.

Therefore, on the day Zhe Keqiu entered the capital, the next day the Department of State Affairs and the Bureau of Military Affairs jointly submitted a memorial, requesting an imperial decision… This was also a kind of probe, because allowing Zhe Keqiu to personally present Li Qianshun’s head and the two children was itself a form of assistance.

The first result of the probe was somewhat reassuring. His Majesty Zhao promised to summon him the next morning at the Stone Pavilion in the rear palace.

After receiving the order, early the next morning, Zhe Keqiu and several accompanying Zhe clan scions, dressed in white and without their caps, accompanied by Zhe Yanzhi, carrying the box with Li Qianshun’s head, along with Weiming Yunge and the Li brothers, entered the Great Inner Palace from the Donghua Gate, proceeded to the rear palace, and requested an audience before the Emperor.

“Is this Li Qianshun’s head?”

Inside the nameless stone pavilion by the fish pond, Zhao Jiu, whose stone table was covered with documents, saw the arrivals, put down the scroll he was holding, and then Yang Yizhong presented the box with Li Qianshun’s head… These days, according to regulations, he had to personally verify and receive every official entering or leaving the capital who had reached a certain rank, to avoid trouble.

“Yes!” Zhe Keqiu, at the head, had prostrated himself on the ground as soon as he entered and dared not raise his head. Just as he was about to answer, he was unexpectedly beaten to it by the captive Weiming Yunge. “Let the Son of Heaven of Great Song know that the ruler’s head was cut off by this foreign minister’s own hand, absolutely without falsehood. Your Majesty may open it and verify.”

In front of the box carrying a strong stench, Zhao Jiu looked up at Weiming Yunge, then looked at the two frightened little children beside him. Having just had two sons himself, he couldn’t help but frown: “No need to verify. How could I examine the head of a child’s father in front of the children? Take it away! Ren Baozhong, go and find a proper place to bury it. Don’t be too disrespectful, but don’t let anyone know it’s the tomb of the Western Xia Emperor!”

Ren Baozhong, a close attendant standing by, quickly stepped forward, proclaimed the Emperor’s benevolent thought, then picked up the box with the head and turned and left directly.

Weiming Yunge quickly kowtowed to thank the Emperor, but finally began to weep uncontrollably.

Once the box was gone, Zhao Jiu took a few deep breaths, then sighed and asked: “Weiming Yunge, where did you all flee to at that time?”

“We fled to Dijin Marsh,” Yunge said, bowing his head with tears. “The place where our ancestors rose…”

Zhao Jiu was genuinely confused this time. Although he had crammed a lot of common knowledge about Western Xia before this campaign, it was mostly about the current geography of Western Xia; he still didn’t know much about its past history.

Fortunately, Lü Benzhong was nearby and quickly offered a brief explanation. Only then did His Majesty Zhao learn that Dijin Marsh was precisely the place where Western Xia had risen—in the old days, when Great Song was founded, Xiazhou was presented to the Song by the Dangxiang nobles. The Western Xia Taizu Li Jiqian refused to submit, led a few dozen riders into exile, and went to the desert oasis of Dijin Marsh, three hundred li north of Xiazhou. There he accumulated strength, gathered tribes, and ultimately fought a hundred battles without yielding. Not only did he retake Xiazhou, but he also took all of Hengshan, then occupied Xingling, contended with the remnants of Tubo, and died on his western campaign, becoming the de facto founding father of Western Xia.

After hearing this, Zhao Jiu couldn’t help but ask curiously: “Since you had already fled to such a place, clearly determined to restore the state, why didn’t you persevere, but instead fell into internal strife?”

Weiming Yunge wept bitterly upon hearing this: “Your Majesty, this foreign minister did not engage in internal strife, but acted on orders! The reason we could not persevere was not because of this foreign minister, nor the ruler, nor General Weiming (Li) Liangfu, who escorted the ruler to Dijin Marsh… When a state falls, the ruler had governed for forty or fifty years, his authority still intact. As for the rest of us, having escaped death by a hair’s breadth, when we reached the place where our ancestors revived, who among us was not a loyal minister, utterly devoted and willing to die?”

Zhao Jiu was even more puzzled: “Then why did Li Qianshun lose his resolve?”

“Because Heaven’s mandate no longer favored the Great White High State!” Weiming Yunge wept even more bitterly. “When this foreign minister reached Dijin Marsh, I discovered that the oasis, once lush with water and grass and fit to be a foundation, had already shrunk terribly. Not to mention grazing or farming, even drinking water was difficult… We had only gathered a thousand or two people, and within a few dozen days, the spring there was actually drained dry by use… Soldiers deserted day and night. The few loyal ones wanted to follow us to the death, but were often thwarted by a single jug of water! In the end, General Weiming (Li) Liangfu simply killed his own son, partly to conserve water, partly to use the blood to supply the armored soldiers… But the ruler discovered this and could no longer bear it. He said he could die, but he could not let the Crown Prince and the Prince of Yue sink to drinking blood. So he ordered this foreign minister to act… Then he ordered this foreign minister and General Liangfu to take his head and bring the Crown Prince and the Prince of Yue to Dongjing to seek an audience with Your Majesty, because Great Song has always granted wealth and honor to those who surrender, unlike the Jurchens, whose nature is unknown… But just as we were about to reach the edge of the desert, General Liangfu said that he had killed his son for his lord, and now that the lord was gone, the act of killing his son was like that of a beast. So he entrusted the last remaining water to me, along with the Crown Prince and the Prince of Yue, and turned back into the desert himself… This foreign minister had no choice but to continue southeast with the Crown Prince and the Prince of Yue, and eventually ran into Zhe’s search party.”

When everyone heard how tragically Western Xia had ended, they all changed color.

Only His Majesty Zhao’s reaction was different: “I told you all, overdevelopment upstream in Western Xia led to soil erosion, but you didn’t believe me…”

Upon hearing this, the surrounding ministers were stunned, but then actually felt a bit more convinced.

“Enough!” Zhao Jiu sighed. “Since that’s the case… I will grant you a residence. You may take the two children as your adopted sons, and from now on, live well in Dongjing.”

The young Weiming Yunge was bathed in tears upon hearing this.

Now, on the road to Dongjing this time, Yunge had long since learned that it was Yelü Yudu who had instigated this plan to destroy the state. Recalling his own words from that day, coupled with the guilt of having killed Li Qianshun with his own hands, he had several times thought of seeking death… But with the ruler dead, and men like Ren Duobaozhong having switched sides so quickly, and Li Liangfu also dead, dying now would be simple enough. But what about the Crown Prince, only seven or eight years old, and the even younger Prince of Yue?

Without him to care for them, wouldn’t they just catch a chill one day and die as they deserved?

At this thought, Weiming Yunge not only suppressed his desire for death, but instead kowtowed until his forehead struck the ground, weeping: “This foreign minister begs to use the merit of presenting the head to seek a useful position. The late state’s Crown Prince and Prince of Yue are here. This foreign minister will never waver. I beg Your Majesty to show mercy!”

Zhao Jiu thought for a moment, exchanged a few words with several close ministers, then nodded slightly: “Given your situation, if I don’t use you, people will say I am petty. Very well, since you are a Dangxiang native general, you should know how to raise camels, right?”

“This foreign minister naturally knows!” Weiming Yunge quickly responded. “This foreign minister is willing to emulate Jin Midi and lead camels for Your Majesty!”

“You don’t need to lead camels. I am about to reestablish the Directorate of Herds, which is your Dangxiang’s Flying Dragon Institute. There is a camel breeding station outside Dongjing city. You will be attached to the Imperial Army as a logistics officer in charge of camels… See if you can help the Bureau of Military Affairs organize a Poxi Army… Also, as a member of the Dangxiang imperial clan, you can enter the public council with Ren Baozhong to give an account to Ningxia… How about that?” Zhao Jiu asked amiably.

“This foreign minister… Your servant is infinitely grateful!” Weiming Yunge gritted his teeth and changed his form of address.

“Then go now,” Zhao Jiu waved casually. “Secretariat Drafter Lü, take them to settle in.”

Weiming Yunge quickly called for Li Renxiao, and pressed the uncomprehending Li Renyou to kowtow in thanks, then hurriedly followed Lü Benzhong away.

Once Lü Benzhong had left, Zhao Jiu turned his head to look at the man in white prostrating before him, his tone much cooler: “Are you Zhe Keqiu?”

“The guilty subject is Zhe Keqiu,” the man prostrated himself, not daring to raise his head.

“Raise your head,” Zhao Jiu said, gesturing under the gaze of many close ministers, his tone clearly unfriendly.

Zhe Keqiu, without his hat, quickly complied. And although he knew his situation was awkward, he couldn’t help but size up the young Emperor before him… Since the year before last, after Yaoshan, he had particularly wanted to see this Emperor who had defeated Loushi. And after Western Xia’s destruction this year, this desire had grown even stronger.

In a sense, the reason he had held on until now was largely to see this Emperor with his own eyes.

In stark contrast, Zhao Jiu only glanced at this head of the Zhe clan, who was just forty-three years old, in the prime of a general’s life, and then grew somewhat impatient:

“Finished looking? If you’re done, let’s get to business. You call yourself a guilty subject—what is your crime?”

“The guilty subject could not preserve his integrity… and actually knelt to the northern barbarians,” Zhe Keqiu quickly lowered his head and answered.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jiu let out a long breath, even more hurriedly than when the stinking head of Li Qianshun had been taken away. After taking a few deep breaths, he shook his head, looking toward the fish pond to the north: “I know the process of your surrender. To be fair and objective, your crime is unpardonable, but the circumstances are understandable.”

“The guilty subject can receive this…”

“But your matter is not just one act of kneeling and surrendering. You have three other great crimes,” Zhao Jiu interrupted without letting him finish. “One is that, at a time of national crisis, you still regarded the three prefectures beyond the River as your private property, using them as bargaining chips for your clan’s survival, unlike Li Yongqi and his son Li Master of Suide, who dared to abandon their land and wander to serve the state. Another is that at Jinning Army, you sat by and watched Xu Huiyan die for his country. I have ten thousand reasons to pardon you, but none can outweigh a single dead Xu Huiyan… Tell me, if I don’t deal with you, how can I face Xu Huiyan and the Jinning Army soldiers who died with him when I go to Yuetai in the future?”

Hearing this, everyone present understood the Emperor’s intent, and even Zhe Keqiu lowered his head again in silence.

“Besides that,” Zhao Jiu glanced at him and continued, “your third crime is that you dared to come see me! And you brought Li Qianshun’s head to see me… What does that mean? Do you think the head of a mere fallen ruler can atone for your crimes? Or do you want the whole world to say that His Majesty Zhao is so magnanimous to the Dangxiang imperial clan, yet harsh to a family that has guarded the border for a hundred years?”

Zhe Keqiu was completely enlightened. He hurriedly raised his head, about to speak, but saw the Emperor directly flick his sleeve in the stone pavilion and say: “Here is a sword. Go quickly. Leave through the Xuande Tower, go out through the Xinzheng Gate, and go to Yuetai on my behalf to pay respects to the spirit tablets of Xu Huiyan, Li Yongqi, and the others!”

Zhe Keqiu had a thousand words stuck in his throat; he could only kowtow several times on the ground, then dazedly rise, turn, and leave. Behind him, several other Zhe clan members, also in white robes and bareheaded, tried to follow but were stopped by the Imperial Guard and led elsewhere. Only Zhe Yanzhi, at a signal from Yang Yizhong, lowered his head and followed.

After they exited Linhua Gate, Yang Yizhong, who had been accompanying him all along, gave him another sword, letting him carry it as he walked away.

By mid-morning, the sunlight had risen somewhat. When Zhe Keqiu turned from Linhua Gate toward the south and walked, sword in hand, to the front of Yiyou Gate, he had somewhat recovered his clarity. He understood that the Emperor's intention was to humiliate him thoroughly, then have him die at the Altar of Yue for all the world to see, to give an account to the realm... And after his death, the three prefectures beyond the river would likely fall under direct imperial rule, but his clan's sons and the Zhe family would at least be preserved.

With this thought, the man, who had long been mentally prepared, actually felt somewhat relieved.

However, having adopted a mindset of throwing caution to the wind, Zhe Keqiu exited Yiyou Gate and turned left through Yinyintai Gate into the front palace, only to suddenly freeze. For upon arriving here, he saw people coming and going ahead—all bureaucrats and generals moving between the side gates of Xuan De Tower and Donghua Gate, heading to and from the Chancellery, the Privy Council, and the Chongwen Institute where the Secret Pavilion was located.

Civil and military officials, ministers and clerks, walked back and forth, some in purple, crimson, or green robes, others in armor with swords at their waists. They all looked around proudly, conversing with those beside them, the atmosphere high and fervent. So much so that Zhe Keqiu, in his white robes, bareheaded, and carrying a sword, immediately became the object of a crowd's attention the moment he set foot on this path.

People have a sense of shame. Although he had long understood this was the Emperor's intention, Zhe Keqiu still couldn't help but freeze, then lower his head and hurry on.

But the further he went, the denser the crowd of watching officials became. Moreover, everyone knew that the Emperor was summoning Zhe Keqiu today. Dressed as he was, with Zhe Yanzhi and Yang Yizhong leading armored soldiers behind him, who, paying even a little attention, could fail to understand?

Besides, there were actually quite a few people who directly recognized Zhe Keqiu—so-called old acquaintances of his at court.

Thus, by the time Zhe Keqiu reached the main gate before the Chongwen Institute, the many officials of the Chancellery and Privy Council within the compound had already heard the news and came pouring out to watch. Even the four Grand Councilors of the Chancellery and Privy Council, and several Ministers, Vice Ministers, Nine Ministers, and Directors of Bureaus who happened to be working there, upon hearing that Zhe Keqiu's matter had reached a conclusion, all came out to see... just as they had watched Yue Fei pass by with the "Utmost Loyalty to Serve the Country" banner that day.

At this point, Zhe Keqiu was utterly ashamed. His face flushed red, he wished he could disappear. He could only quicken his pace, hoping to escape this predicament.

However, when he reached the front of Xuan De Tower, he suddenly froze again, then slowed his steps... It must be said that Yang Yizhong had given orders before his arrival, opening the central gate of Xuan De Tower wide. At this moment, on the Imperial Avenue ahead, a bustling crowd of countless Tokyo citizens were curiously peering, wondering why this gate was open. What kind of person was about to come out through it?

Could it be even more glorious than Yue Pengju's appearance last time?

Zhe Keqiu, who had thought he could grit his teeth and walk to the Altar of Yue for the sake of his family, dying before the altar to exchange for his clan's peace, was startled at the gate. For a moment, he could neither advance nor retreat, and then fell into utter panic.

But he dared not stop!

As he slowly walked forward, he looked back and saw countless court officials swarming behind him. Some watched in shock, some stood solemnly silent, some looked on coldly, some clasped their hands and sighed. And of course, there were plenty pointing and whispering. Even his own clan nephew, Zhe Yanzhi, who was already over fifty, was so embarrassed he covered his face.

Looking ahead again, he saw outside the main gate of Xuan De Tower, countless Tokyo citizens gathered like ants on both sides of the Imperial Avenue, far outnumbering those inside the gate. They were all watching curiously, and some, catching a glimpse of his figure as he advanced, were already whispering to those beside them.

Not only that, but only now did Zhe Keqiu remember that opposite Xuan De Tower, on the former site of the Ministry of Personnel, were the offices of the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers. And the place where the Imperial Academy students gathered to print the Court Gazette was just opposite the Six Ministries' offices.

Going out now would truly make him a laughingstock for all the world!

To be honest, Zhe Keqiu had already had the awareness of becoming a laughingstock back when he surrendered and faced Xu Huiyan alongside Loushi. But even then, he had always believed he could endure this for his family, always maintaining a kind of narcotic self-satisfaction that he was sacrificing his own reputation for the clan... So when the Emperor directly humiliated him this time, he was actually somewhat prepared.

But thinking was one thing, and being prepared was another. When he actually stood beneath the gate of Xuan De Tower, his fear turned to terror.

Who would have thought that a seasoned battlefield general, unafraid of death, a borderland clan lord willing to sacrifice everything for his family, would now be so afraid of being seen by people just because there were too many of them?

One must understand that back in Loushi's camp, he had only faced the gaze of Xu Huiyan alone!

At that time, although he had been panicked and ashamed, how could he have imagined that the gathered gazes of people could be so terrifying?

And this fear reached its peak as Zhe Keqiu halted within the gate tunnel of Xuan De Tower. He was at a complete loss, not daring to go forward, not daring to go back, not daring to stop, and even less daring to speed up.

His steps faltered and shrank. In his heart, there was only one thought—"If I had known this would happen, why did I do it in the first place? So it's not just swords and blades that can damage the century-old foundation of the Zhe clan, but also the gazes of people?!"

Isn't it just a matter of dying?

Overwhelmed by shame and anger, and perhaps also with the reassurance that his family had finally returned to the Great Song, Zhe Keqiu hesitated no longer. He simply turned back, casting a pleading look at his old friend's son, Yang Yizhong, and his own clan nephew, Zhe Yanzhi. Then, directly inside the gate tunnel of Xuan De Tower, he drew the sword bestowed by the Emperor.

Yang Yizhong and Zhe Yanzhi both moved slightly, but then both stopped.

Next, Zhe Keqiu, in his white robes and bareheaded, simply slashed fiercely at the blood vessels in his own neck. Blood gushed out like paste, and then, as if relieved of a great burden, he fell face-first to the ground.

A borderland general who, in another timeline, was poisoned to death by the Jurchens, was this time literally stared to death by the Tokyo officials and citizens within the main gate of Xuan De Tower.

"The Emperor has an oral decree... After the body is collected, no stele is to be erected, no remains are to be sent home. Find a place outside the city, bury him in a ditch. Let it be the same as those who died in the Jingkang Incident with no place to be buried." Yang Yizhong stood solemnly for a long, long time. Only after the blood on the ground had spread did he turn to Zhe Yanzhi and convey the Emperor's orders. "After this matter, the Zhe clan's account is settled. But regardless, the Zhe clan's sons, whether they live or die, can never return to Fuzhou!"

Zhe Yanzhi, exhausted in body and mind, only wanted to end this matter quickly. He nodded hastily in agreement.

A moment later, Yang Yizhong reported this matter back to Emperor Zhao Jiu.

"Is that so?" Zhao Jiu, who had been reading a memorial from Hu Yin, should have been indifferent upon hearing this. But when he actually received the news, he seemed both relieved and somewhat empty.

After all, no matter how insignificant it might be, Zhe Keqiu's death, along with the arrival of Li Qianshun's head, marked the complete end of this northwestern turmoil.

As for Yang Zheng, although Wu Jie had never had the heart to do it, he had been tied up by Hu Yin, who was preparing to return to the capital, and was ready to be escorted back to the capital.

It could only be said that with all matters in this northwestern chaos having reached a final conclusion, whether satisfactory or not, the Emperor couldn't help but feel a sense of anticlimax.

But for some reason, he always felt there was some slight regret, yet he couldn't quite articulate it.

It was mid-autumn. A wind arose, and autumn leaves fell in profusion. Yang Yizhong carefully retreated to the side and stood solemnly. Zhao Jiu prepared to continue reviewing personnel appointments and summoning relevant officials.

However, suddenly, a crane's cry from above made the Emperor look up. He saw, in the high autumn sky ahead and to the side, several dozen wild geese flying south, arranged in a herringbone formation, heading from north to south. They flew without stopping until they disappeared beyond his field of vision.

In a daze, Zhao Jiu finally understood what it was all about.

So, he casually tore off a piece of paper, picked up his brush, and wrote. After finishing, he directly handed it to Liu Yan:

"Send this letter to Lanzhou, have someone deliver it to Yelu Dashi. Say it's something I forgot to give him at the foot of Helan Mountain."

Having said this, the Emperor pulled himself together and continued handling state affairs.

On the other side, Liu Yan lowered his head and saw it was a poem. Having experienced the scene at Helan Mountain that day, he immediately understood and, acknowledging the order, left without any delay. However, even though Commander Liu was universally acknowledged as an honest man, with the plain white paper lying openly in his hands, unobstructed, on his way to put it in a box, this Liao dynasty *jinshi* couldn't help but lower his head and steal a few glances.

It read:

The sky is high, the clouds are pale, I gaze until the south-flying geese are gone.

One who fails to cross the Yellow River is no true man; I count the journey, thousands of miles long.

On the high peaks of Helan Mountain, red banners billow in the west wind.

Today I hold the long cord in my hand—when will I bind the Azure Dragon?

(End of this volume)

PS: Wow, thank you to the great Wuxing De Zhengyi for the three consecutive alliance leaders, this is also the 146th alliance leader of this book! Also thank you to Yizhi_ for becoming an alliance leader, this is the 147th alliance leader!