[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shao-song":3,"chapter-shao-song-shao-song-chapter-387":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Shao Song",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1558553,2024,"Chapter 387: Proceeding While Observing (Continued)","shao-song-chapter-387",387,"\u003Cp>In the winter of the ninth year of Jianyan, on the eighteenth day of the tenth month, the Great Song Emperor Zhao Jiu crossed the Yellow River and landed at Yuanqu in Shanzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an utterly ordinary day, and the Emperor's action was merely an ordinary one, taken with the flow of events, but it was precisely this action that formally announced the full-scale and deep-going nature of the ninth year of Jianyan's Northern Expedition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, the early surprise-attack phase of the fighting formally ended, and the Northern Expedition entered a new stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, when Zhao Jiu set up camp and rested at Yuanqu, it had already caused tremors throughout the Hedong and Henan regions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, where the Zhao Song Emperor was located was by no means a simple position for superiors and subordinates alike; it was also a coordinate system, a baseline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was actually a very subtle psychology.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, when Zhao Jiu was staying in Luoyang, the officials and civilian laborers of the Henan region felt they were busy on the front line, developing a cowering and resistant attitude toward the more forward positions, while the frontline soldiers also had a mentality of \"I'm at the very front, I'm risking my life for the rear, so I can do whatever I want.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, once the Emperor crossed the river, it was as if a valve had been opened; the officials of Henan and Guanxi immediately became much more settled and honest, and even the hastily conscripted civilian laborers seemed to have their morale boosted and complained less.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the frontline troops north of the Yellow River, they felt the pressure immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overnight, the Emperor received secret letters from almost all military officers of Controller rank and above in the entire Hedong region. For a time, his understanding of many frontline matters became clearer than that of several of the field commanders themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This inevitably further solidified certain ideas in his mind... but it was still not enough to make the Emperor reach a decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, the weather turned somewhat overcast. The Emperor set out from Yuanqu, escorted by as many as eight Controllers and their subordinates, plus the Imperial Personal Guard, heading west first. They passed through Sanmen Gorge at noon and arrived within Pinglu territory by evening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shao Yun, the defending general of Pinglu, came out of the city eastward to greet him, and was subsequently treated to a special banquet by the Emperor and generously rewarded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was only proper... Shao Yun, as Li Yanxian's de facto deputy, had been stationed in Pinglu, the only major stronghold north of the river, throughout Li Yanxian's years of guarding Shanzhou. Li Yanxian had defended Shanzhou for eight or nine years, and Shao Yun had defended Pinglu for the same length of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could be said that this man had always been on the most dangerous front line of the entire empire. Even before the Battle of Yaoshan, Li Yanxian had not forgotten to request posthumous honors for Shao Yun's parents and wife, which was almost an acceptance of the possibility of sacrifice... It was just that on that occasion, the old duo Elubu and Ali, under the command of the Third Prince Eliduo, chose the route Zhao Jiu was now taking, bypassed Pinglu, and directly struck south to raid Luoyang, resulting in the deaths of Minister Wang and Da Zhai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shao Yun, on the other hand, had his fortune turn at this point, waiting all the way until the Northern Expedition and the Emperor arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A figure like this was a model of resistance against the Jin and absolutely had to be publicly commended... And indeed, during the banquet, Minister Lu, on behalf of the court, formally added to Shao Yun's posthumous honors and promoted his military rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Subsequently, Shao Yun voluntarily stated his wish to personally lead his troops to escort the Emperor northward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To this, Zhao Jiu hesitated again, but ultimately nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, this matter was, of course, mostly about proper conduct between sovereign and minister, but it wasn't without other interpretations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As everyone knew, Li Yanxian's forces, because their positions could not be easily redeployed, had always been highly independent, which also led to uneven quality within his units and the existence of separate factions... Although it was awkward to say, the last time this Shaan-Luo army group had undergone large-scale integration was actually through the opportunity provided by Da Zhai's martyrdom in the Luoyang direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Da Zhai, Zhai Xing, died, Zhao Jiu specially permitted his son Zhai Cong to succeed to his father's post, but this didn't change the fact that Zhai Cong, with prestige far inferior to his father's, couldn't command universal obedience. It was only from then on that Li Yanxian fully gained overall control of this army group. In the following years, the central government, relying on the great influence of the Battle of Yaoshan and the governance and restoration of the areas around Luoyang, gradually and completely digested the Zhai clan's local strongman-volunteer army group, which had been built around Luoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the later period, as Niu Gao, Dong Xian, and others completely broke away from the Zhai clan one after another, becoming directly subordinate to the central government, the Zhai clan's own remaining three Controllers and one Commander also gradually found their proper positions. In turn, Li Yanxian and his Shanzhou troops seemed to have grown somewhat distant from the central government.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, with the state's Northern Expedition having actually captured Hezhong, Shanzhou had lost its former strategic importance. Moreover, Li Yanxian himself had just suffered losses at Tieling Pass. So, for his most trusted general left to guard the rear to make such a statement, it was naturally worth pondering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most likely possibility was that Li Yanxian had privately instructed him to do so, using the opportunity to admit fault and pledge loyalty to the Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu's own slight hesitation was also due to fear that absorbing Shao Yun at this time might cause rumors within the army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, he ultimately chose to agree, because, as the saying goes... how could an Emperor be said to be \"absorbing\" Imperial Camp troops? Some things, done openly and aboveboard, naturally become dignified and proper. But if approached with petty scheming, it would only make things strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, Zhao Jiu didn't even appoint a new defender for Pinglu, merely telling Wang Yan to arrange for a Commander. The next day, with Shao Yun's unit as the vanguard, they headed north from within Pinglu territory, passing through Zhangdian Town to cross Mount Zhongtiao, and then arrived at the walls of Anyi on the twenty-second day of that month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, the Emperor and his close ministers, including the Dongnangong Pavilion's Bai Qiang, encountered combat related to the Northern Expedition for the first time in a real sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's right, just as the Hedong city, the capital of Hezhong Prefecture, had not fallen, the city of Anyi, located on the banks of the Hedong Salt Lake, had also not been captured by the Song army, which made Li Qiong quite ashamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your subject is incompetent!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the afternoon, by the salt lake, a mix of red and white, Li Qiong bowed his head in embarrassment. \"With tens of thousands of men, I could not quickly take the city to allow Your Majesty to enter and establish the temporary imperial residence.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's fine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu immediately comforted him and personally helped him up. \"I only decided to cross the river because of Han Liangchen's sudden great victory. It was all unexpected. Minister Li took over the siege midway and lacked siege equipment. If I forced an assault and wasted soldiers' lives for this, it would be my fault instead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some polite words still had to be said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Zhao Jiu truly didn't mind this matter, because one had to respect objective laws... It had always been this way since ancient times. In large-scale field battles, days of stalemate could end in a single engagement deciding victory or defeat. But for a city, especially a famous, large city like Anyi, which occupied a critical position and had appeared countless times in Chinese history books, as long as the defending general was determined to fight to the death, unless special methods were used, taking it within the ten or so days Li Qiong had been in charge was nothing short of a pipe dream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, there was definitely a problem, at least one—namely, except for those specific key large cities that were prepared in advance, people determined to hold out to the death regardless of the situation were relatively rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why defend?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why be loyal to the Great Jin State?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But Minister Li, I recall that Han Liangchen (Han Shizhong's style name) and Li Shaoyan (Li Yanxian's style name) both fought quite efficiently, catching the Jin army off guard. Logically, Hedong city, with Wendun Sizhong and the main Jin force there, holding out to the death is understandable. But what about Anyi?\" While riding into camp, Zhao Jiu withdrew his gaze from the city walls, swept it again over the conspicuous salt lake beside him, and finally landed on Li Qiong, who was leading his horse. \"What's the story with Anyi city?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To inform Your Majesty, the reason Anyi city can hold out relies entirely on one man,\" Li Qiong, who was leading the horse, quickly turned his head, stepping backward while hurriedly explaining. \"The Jin's Jiezhou Prefect, Shi Gao...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A Han Chinese?\" Zhao Jiu frowned slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A Han from Yanyun or the Two Rivers?\" Minister Lu couldn't help but interject.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"From Dingzhou... a Han from Hebei,\" Li Qiong blurted out. \"However, Dingzhou borders the frontier. He was captured by the Jurchens before the Jingkang Incident, first made a slave laborer, then because he could read, he was made a military clerk, and finally, he was noticed by Aguda's half-brother, Wanyan Shemu, and became a staff member...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh,\" Lu Yihao responded, glancing sideways at Li Qiong, though it was unclear what he meant by it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What kind of man is he?\" Zhao Jiu also gave Li Qiong a slight glance before pressing further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Before Military Governor Li's advance, this man often said that once Your Majesty launched the Northern Expedition, Hezhong would bear the brunt of it, so he paid constant attention to defense,\" Li Qiong, not noticing that both the Emperor and the Minister had given him an extra look, hurriedly continued. \"Also, because Anyi is located on the east side of the salt lake, directly facing the Mount Zhongtiao passage, he managed it with even greater care. On the day Military Governor Li advanced hastily, this man was right here in Anyi. So, although the Anyi County Magistrate surrendered immediately, he still gathered the local troops and conscripted civilian laborers, holding this city for defense. That day, Military Governor Li tried to scale the walls in one go, but after failing, he was temporarily helpless and could only leave Controller Niu Gao here to besiege the city.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know the rest. Han Liangchen passed by here, tried, and failed too. He even took Niu Gao away to guide him, which delayed the siege efforts, until Minister Li crossed the river and took over...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But even if this man is determined to hold out, from what you say, there aren't many regular troops in the city, mostly local people and civilian laborers?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Given the current situation, the city is just barely holding on. After Han Liangchen's several great victories, didn't you try to persuade them to surrender or tempt them? It's hard to fake banners and armor on the spot, isn't it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To inform Your Majesty, we naturally tried. When Commandery Prince Han and Chief Commander Ma were engaged in a major battle with the Jin at Tieling Pass, they didn't forget this place either. After I took over, I also informed him of the spoils from the Battle of Fenshui and the fact that Bolisu's entire army had withdrawn across the Huishui River,\" Li Qiong seemed bitter for a moment. \"He himself and some knowledgeable people in the city should also be generally aware of the overall situation, but every time I sent an envoy, he treated them with courtesy and then sternly refused...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How old is he this year?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thirty-eight or nine, maybe forty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How can he control the entire city?\" Lu Yihao suddenly interjected again, his tone much sharper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To inform the Minister, this man has always had a reputation for incorruptibility and benevolence. He has only been in Jiezhou for two years, yet he has won people's hearts, especially here in Anyi...\" Li Qiong immediately answered seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh?\" Lu Yihao stroked his beard and sneered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since I have besieged this city, I have inquired about some things...\" Li Qiong explained as if eager to do so. \"He has two quite famous deeds. One was in his early years, when he followed the army with Aguda's half-brother, Wanyan Shemu, in Hebei. Wanyan Shemu was about to distribute the people of an entire Hebei prefecture to the army as slaves, and it was this man who remonstrated and stopped him. The other was a local matter the year before last. A local hero from Anyi rose up, planning to coordinate with Military Governor Li. The plot was leaked, and the hero was executed. In his home, they found a register recording the native places and names of nearly a thousand people. Wendun Sizhong sent someone to demand it, but this man, who had arrived beforehand, directly burned it...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By that time, Wanyan Zongmu had long since died, so he had actually lost his backing.” Li Qiong said with emotion. “Because of this matter, Wenshun Sizhong had him and his son bound together and thrown into the prison at Hedong City. Fortunately, he had a Registrar who had just passed the Jin imperial examinations, who had long admired his character and learning, and acknowledged him as his teacher. At that time, the Registrar was only twenty years old… He went alone to Taiyuan to seek out Bolisu, who then passed the matter on to the Prince of Jin, Eliduo, who was on an inspection tour in the south. Only then was he able to have his official post restored.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Speaking of which, Zhao Jiu and his dragon banner had already entered the camp grounds, passing through the outer gate, and Li Qiong also took the opportunity to slacken his horse’s reins. Since Zhao Jiu had arrived here, he dismounted, but did not immediately hurry into the spacious central command tent that had long been prepared. Instead, he directly led his men up the tamped-earth general’s platform in front of the tent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The view here was open, and everything around was clear at a glance. Before Zhao Jiu could even finish his silent survey of the four directions, not to mention the Hedong salt ponds, which could almost be called a natural wonder, appearing even more magnificent under the afternoon sun, even the movements on the Anyi city wall seemed a bit clearer… Although he could not make out specific figures, there was no doubt that the arrival of the dragon banner and the tens of thousands of main Imperial Guard forces had shaken this city, which had only been barely holding on. On the city wall facing south toward the central army camp, many figures were moving about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu glanced at the city wall and raised his hand in a gesture. Yang Yizhong immediately presented a long, silver, tube-shaped object—it was the traditional tool of a time traveler… a telescope ground from crystal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, rather embarrassingly, Zhao Jiu, this disgrace to time travelers, had only managed to produce this thing in the seventh or eighth year after his arrival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, because this item had obvious military uses and was far less shocking than a hot air balloon, it could be treated as a specimen of original learning. Thus, it had never been made public. All told, it had only been given to a few high-ranking commanders, plus a few dozen outstanding troop-commanding officers, one for each.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Returning to the present, Zhao Jiu raised his telescope and roughly scanned the activity on the city wall. Then he grew somewhat bored, so he turned the direction and swept his gaze roughly over the entire camp… From the high-hanging reconnaissance hot air balloon to the dozens of artillery carriages in the rear laborer camp that were only half-finished, he couldn’t help but frown slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, he couldn’t resist turning to look at the beautiful salt ponds again—the weather had turned cold in the past few days, and the salt ponds displayed a winter-specific landscape, the phenomenon of saltpeter efflorescence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, this saltpeter was mirabilite, which could not be used to make gunpowder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu’s behavior was somewhat strange. Among those around him, from Lu Yihao on down, except for seasoned generals and warriors like Wang De and Zhang Jing, who couldn’t be bothered to think about such things, anyone with a bit of insight could probably guess what was on the Emperor’s mind… Just think about it—he had been so relaxed and carefree before entering the camp, but after Li Qiong finished telling the story of that defending official, he became so uncomfortable. It must have been because of the person Li Qiong had mentioned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Li Qiong gradually realized something, and then he grew increasingly uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yihao, who was originally somewhat tired from days of riding, didn’t want to say much. But seeing the Emperor in such a state, as the Grand Councilor, he felt he had to express an opinion. “This Shi Gao is nothing but a traitor who steals fame under false pretenses… Why bother with him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that so?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu finally put away the telescope, turned around, and replied calmly. “How do you figure?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just look at the two most famous things he did.” Lu Yihao sneered and flicked his sleeve. “He advised the Jurchens not to buy and sell commoners as slaves, and he burned the registers to prevent the Jurchens from carrying out mass prosecutions. These seem like good deeds, but in truth, they were all about remedying the evil of the Jurchens. Can that change the fundamental fact that the Jurchens do evil? Can it change the fact that he himself committed the great evil of attaching himself to the Jurchens? And now, he uses the reputation he gained from doing good on top of evil to trick the common people into defending the evil Jurchens… What kind of true Confucian is that?! He is nothing but a pedantic Confucian and a traitor who aids the tyrant for the sake of his own reputation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as these words were spoken, the civil and military officials around them chimed in agreement. Li Qiong also came to his senses and quickly joined the denunciation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu, after handing the telescope back to Yang Yizhong, nodded repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Lu’s words have hit the root of the matter… These ten years of great calamity—the tax disputes in the south, the displacement of the people in the north, the conflicts between war and peace at court, and the tragic events of the early righteous armies rising up only to turn around and plunder and cause chaos… No matter how much our own people argue among themselves, when all is said and done, doesn’t it all come back to the Jurchen invasion? This is why, in the nine years since I ascended the throne, in handling affairs and appointing people, I have focused entirely on the two words ‘Resist Jin’… I have tolerated those who treat me like a child, who deceive me, who are arrogant and overbearing, greedy for wealth and lustful, who appoint only their own and form cliques, who have great ambitions but little talent, who are stubborn and self-willed… But as long as they are willing to resist the Jin, I regard them as usable people! Because from the very beginning, I determined that the fundamental contradiction of this realm, at least from the Jingkang Incident to the present, lies in this Song-Jin national war! Everything else must make way!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The close ministers at Zhao Jiu’s side were already well aware of this reasoning and attitude. In fact, if they hadn’t understood and agreed, they wouldn’t have been able to reach their positions as high-ranking or close ministers… Hearing it now, they found it somewhat verbose. However, the words Zhao Jiu had blurted out, along with his slightly indignant tone, did give them some food for thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In stark contrast were the accompanying ‘Top Hundred’ from the Southeast public offices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These people had left the Southeast this time and traveled north in person. First, they saw the clearly visible traces of war in the Central Plains region. Then, they saw the Central Plains commoners being conscripted for massive labor service in a militarized mobilization. Then, they followed Zhao Jiu across the river to see the sights of the Two Rivers region and heard these deeds and words. They felt a sense of novelty and shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“However.” After setting the tone, Zhao Jiu still shook his head. “Beyond these words, there is still something to be said… For example, inside the city of Anyi, don’t the people, high and low, know that the Jurchens are the most evil? But why are they still willing to respect this Prefect and follow him in resisting the Imperial Army? I can hardly bring myself to say the words ‘the ignorant commoners are foolish’.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I beg Your Majesty for your instruction.” Lu Yihao frowned slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no need for instruction, it’s not some great principle.” Zhao Jiu sighed. “It’s simply that when the Jurchens were about to sell them into slavery or carry out mass prosecutions, we, the Imperial Army, were nowhere to be seen. And this Shi Gao, who did good on top of evil, was their only support in their struggle to survive… We can condemn this Shi Gao, and we can punish the city’s defenders and commoners according to military law, but we can hardly do so with such clear consciences… If not for considering the morale of the Northern Expedition, in fact, I should have first issued an edict of self-blame.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yihao shook his head, clearly opposing the Emperor’s opinion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, this Lord Lu was harsh with his subordinates and colleagues, but he was obviously more considerate towards the Emperor. So, probably to save face for Zhao Jiu, after shaking his head, Lu Yihao directly turned around and glared at Li Qiong, whose stance had been obvious earlier, and publicly rebuked him:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Qiong, as a regional commander and a great general in charge of tens of thousands of troops, at a time of battle, are you thinking about how you yourself are from Hebei, and how pitiful the people of Hebei are? Are you going to feel grateful to this man on behalf of the displaced people of the Two Rivers? Should we send some medicine and replenish their weapons into the city?! What do the morale of three hundred thousand troops, the vast imperial grace, and the labor of five hundred thousand people from Henan and Guanzhong mean in your eyes, Vice Commander-in-Chief?! If you truly care a bit about the people of the Two Rivers, you should rack your brains to think about how to storm the city, how to tear this Shi Gao limb from limb, to serve as a warning to those who come after!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Qiong was momentarily terrified. He hurriedly clasped his hands to Lord Lu, then bowed towards Zhao Jiu to beg forgiveness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Zhao Jiu did not act as harmoniously with his minister as he had at the camp gate. Instead, he clasped his hands behind his back, turned away, and nodded, acknowledging Lu Yihao’s reprimand of Li Qiong, and also of himself: “Li Qiong… Lord Lu’s words were a bit harsh, but his meaning is correct. Among the millions of scholars and commoners in the Two Rivers, everyone can have grievances, everyone can be deceived by such people, and even feel grateful for this man’s virtue… But you frontline generals alone, even if you are also from the Two Rivers and have many feelings, must bury them deep in your hearts… Just now, the last thing you should have done was to speak those words publicly in that manner, in your capacity as a regional commander.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your servant is ashamed.” Li Qiong grew even more embarrassed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Judging by your words and demeanor just now, you’ve exchanged quite a few letters with this Shi Gao, haven’t you?” Zhao Jiu finally turned his head to look at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes… yes…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Send him my proclamation.” Zhao Jiu replied calmly. “Also send him the list of over sixty war criminals I drafted on the road, and the words Lord Lu and I exchanged about him today… Tell him plainly: I am here, but I will never pardon him… Not only that, set tomorrow noon as the deadline. Anyone in this city who has served as an officer or official of the puppet Jin, if they do not surrender, will never be pardoned. As the saying goes, regardless of Han or barbarian, only submission or rebellion and the law will be considered!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Qiong bowed his head and assented, feeling a sense of relief. By sending the words about the ‘edict of self-blame’ over, although the Emperor said he would not pardon, it was in fact a pardon. Having dealt with the matter, Zhao Jiu directly bypassed him and headed towards the central command tent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A night passed without incident. The next morning, the effect of Zhao Jiu and his dragon banner finally became apparent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Li Qiong was hesitating whether to hastily attack the city with insufficient artillery carriages to prove his own and the Eight-Character Army’s resolve, the defender of Anyi, the Jin Prefect of Xiezhou, Shi Gao, after reading the series of documents and letters Li Qiong had sent the previous evening, and having seen the dragon banner and the captured black and white banners with his own eyes during the day, along with the countless Imperial Guard elites that had arrived with the dragon banner, finally abandoned his will to resist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Early in the morning, he summoned his student and Registrar, Liang Su, along with the city’s laborer leaders and prefectural army officers, and told them to abandon resistance and open the city gates to surrender. He also asked Liang Su to go and pay homage to Zhao Jiu, begging him to pardon the innocent people in the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In addition, he had his son, Shi Ju, who had accompanied him to his post, go and pay homage to Li Qiong to express his gratitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they saw that Shi Gao had decided to surrender, the city’s officers and laborer leaders were all greatly relieved… These people had followed Shi Gao not out of loyalty to the Great Jin, but because Shi Gao had always shown them kindness. They were bound to him layer by layer. Even so, they had all been completely shaken the previous day, with collusion and loss of control occurring at all levels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that Shi Gao was willing to let go, they naturally felt completely at ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relatively speaking, Liang Su and Shi Ju had similar thoughts… However, their every consideration was entirely focused on Shi Gao, so they had an additional layer of concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Will that Zhao Song… will the Emperor pardon my teacher?” Liang Su asked seriously. “Did Commander Li say anything?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He didn’t mention it.” Shi Gao sat behind the county office desk, spread his hands, and smiled. “I estimate that the death penalty can be avoided, but a living punishment will be hard to escape… At worst, I’ll be doing hard labor in the army. I’ve done it before, when the Great Jin first came south.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If that’s the case.” Liang Su also relaxed. “I’ll do the hard labor with my teacher… When this is over, I’ll go back to my hometown to study and never become an official again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Gao seemed thoughtful, then nodded slightly and smiled: “Good, after we go back, we won’t become officials. You too, my son… We’ll focus on our studies… But only if no one drags us off to do hard labor again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Ju quickly nodded vigorously: “I’m not afraid of hard labor!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Gao nodded slightly at his son, then turned back and seriously warned his student: “But Mengrong (Liang Su’s courtesy name), if the Emperor, seeing that you are young, bestows an official position upon you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your student understands.” Liang Su quickly responded with a smile. “It concerns the life and death of the entire city, and whether we, teacher and student, will have to do hard labor… Your student will not be pedantic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then don’t delay.” Shi Gao nodded repeatedly, then urged the two to go quickly. “Outside, noon was set as the deadline, and I am a man awaiting punishment… You two go quickly. Also, we must worry that someone in the city, having seen the dragon banner arrive yesterday, might not be able to restrain themselves and start a fight prematurely, needlessly costing everyone their lives.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang Su and Shi Ju quickly acknowledged and then hurried away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, by the time it was late morning, word reached the camp outside the city that the city had requested to surrender. Naturally, everyone was elated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, when they saw that those who came to surrender were two young men, while others were fine, Lu Yihao’s face immediately darkened… Among the few close ministers, such as Yang Yizhong, Ren Baozhong, Yu Yunwen, and Mei Li, many also felt somewhat uncomfortable, and then they all stole glances at Zhao Jiu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhao Jiu’s expression did not change in the slightest. He responded calmly, even appointing the now-adult Liang Su as a Secretary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the rules set before crossing the river, those under thirty years of age could be pardoned and appointed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the army had accepted the surrender, there was naturally no need to say more. The city gates were indeed opened as promised. The seasoned general Zhang Jing personally led his troops swarming in, quickly took control of the city’s defenses, cleared the streets, and arranged for the disarmament and quartering of the city’s soldiers and laborers… It was done efficiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately afterwards, Zhao Jiu, leading his close ministers and civil and military officials, set off directly into the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Entering the city and arriving at an intersection, they indeed saw Zhang Jing, fully armed, hurrying towards them. He then clasped his hands and publicly apologized: “Your servant is ashamed. I beg Your Majesty not to enter the county office…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that wretch dead yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the Zhao Emperor could speak, Lu Yihao, riding behind him, became furious, but it was clearly pure anger, with no trace of surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the Zhao Emperor and many clever people all wore the same expression—their faces showed no change at all—while people like Li Qiong, Fan Zongyin, and even the ordinary attendants of the Southeast Secretariat suddenly caught on a moment later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only, these people from the Southeast had never imagined that Confucian scholars in the occupied regions of the Two Rivers would live in such a state; even after realizing it, they were still unable to hide their shock. As for Li Qiong, Fan Zongyin, and the like, they could not help but feel a little moved inside, yet because of Lord Lu's outburst yesterday, they dared not show it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only people like Wang De, who thought it was none of their business and had never paid attention from start to finish, who were still somewhat bewildered at this point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Liang Su, who had just been appointed Secretary, under the watchful eyes of Yu Yunwen and Mei Li, he swayed on his horse, then his expression changed drastically, and he directly dismounted and knelt down behind and to the side of the Zhao Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result, he drew the encirclement of several armored soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that Shi Ju, after his senior brother knelt, nearly fell off his horse, and was also quickly surrounded by several cavalrymen of the Red Heart Squad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He's already dead cold.\" Zhang Jing was a bit stunned by this scene, but still hastily cupped his hands. \"He hanged himself... and left four words, written as 'have a clear conscience.'\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I also have a clear conscience.\" Lu Yihao was about to flare up again, but the Zhao Emperor suddenly spoke coldly. \"Mutilate his corpse and display it to the public!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jing, a military man, wouldn't overthink things. Seeing that the Emperor and the Lord were in agreement, and having received an imperial decree with clear instructions, he immediately acknowledged the order and turned back to dispose of the corpse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that Liang Su, dazed, looked through the few armored soldiers beside him at his junior fellow apprentice, who was surrounded and controlled by the cavalry, and then suddenly began kowtowing repeatedly on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will not change my decree. Whatever words you have, you must speak after the corpse mutilation is done.\" Zhao Jiu said without turning his head on his horse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your servant... your servant begs to collect the corpse afterward.\" Liang Su raised his head, his forehead bruised purple, his face pale. He struggled to think for a moment before speaking with difficulty. \"And begs Your Majesty to permit your servant to resign from office... Your servant's junior fellow apprentice is young, and with the two kingdoms at war, travel will be difficult. Your servant... wishes, as a commoner, to escort my teacher's coffin back to Dingzhou for burial.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu turned his head to look at this man, feeling a stifled fire in his heart, one he had suppressed for a long time, now slowly beginning to burn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those around him, especially the Imperial Bodyguards who had accompanied him for a long time and were surrounding this man, saw the situation was not good and simply rested their hands on their swords, preparing for any eventuality. Even people like Yang Yizhong, Ren Baozhong, Yu Yunwen, and Mei Li became tense, ready to respond to a possible outburst from the Zhao Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Zhao Jiu stared at this man, and although his anger gradually rose, he could not bring himself to vent it... because he had realized that the object of his anger was not this man, nor was it the Han Chinese Prefect Shi Gao, who had served the Great Jin Kingdom faithfully and still claimed to have a \"clear conscience.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Including yesterday's dissatisfaction, it was not directed at Li Qiong either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he knew that at this moment, there would certainly be some silent people, moved in their hearts by that Shi Gao and this young man, thinking things like \"A Confucian teaches by his own example,\" thinking that regardless of whether Shi Gao had violated the law, he was a \"good Confucian\" with a clear conscience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this anger was not directed at these silent people either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a broad and complex emotion, perhaps containing elements of \"grieving for their misfortune and angering at their inaction,\" but definitely not just that. It was also mixed with a sense of grievance and a feeling of anger and shame at one's own powerlessness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a feeling that, having done so much himself, having worked hard all the way to the Northern Expedition, yet there were still so many people following that muddled logic to think and act, as if his efforts were not worthwhile, or as if his efforts were still not enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was an emotion that carried with it a self-reflective mindset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But regardless, contrary to everyone's expectations, the Zhao Emperor actually calmed down this time. He did not issue a manifesto-like reprimand, nor did he take the opportunity to speak any bold words to rebuke anyone or express his state of mind... He held back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only, he was able to hold back, not because of the complexity of these complex emotions themselves, but because he realized that, in the final analysis, just as all contradictions were triggered by the Song-Jin war, these emotions and incidents, numbness and ignorance, fervor and silence, even justice and evil, ultimately all needed the success of the Northern Expedition to serve as their foundation and determine their outcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything for the sake of military victory itself, everything for the success of the Northern Expedition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before that, saying anything was meaningless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this battle taking place in people's hearts was itself a part of the Northern Expedition. Since it was a war, could it be won by just talking trash?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let it be so.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the surprise of many close ministers, the Zhao Emperor, unaware that he had just missed two famous prime ministers of the Jin Kingdom in history—or rather, knowing but not caring at this moment—calmly threw out this sentence, then spurred his horse forward, crossing the intersection under the dense escort of soldiers filling the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as soon as the Zhao Emperor left, the two young men, also unaware that in another timeline they would become famous prime ministers of the Great Jin's golden age, finally shook off that fear. Then, unable to help themselves, under the gaze of the soldiers throughout the city, they embraced each other and wept bitterly in the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Confucian teaches by his own example.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless of the Zhao Song court's evaluation of Shi Gao, in the eyes of these two, he had conveyed his principles to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Have a clear conscience!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the afternoon, inside the county office of Anyi City, where the hanging had just taken place, the Zhao Emperor, who had just arrived, unhesitatingly let loose his restraints. He immediately issued a decree ordering Henan artisans to rush the production of a great banner reading \"Sparks That Set the Prairie Ablaze,\" to be bestowed upon Ma Kuo. At the same time, he sent a dispatch to Tieling Pass, demanding that Han, Li, and Ma strictly enforce military discipline and rigorously investigate matters of insubordination, looting, and rioting since the war began, directly naming Liang Xing, Brother Liang, and Zhao Cheng, who was still recovering from his wounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the Zhao Emperor did not forget to directly issue an open edict questioning Wu Jie in Northern Shaanxi, asking if he needed to personally come and take Guo Zhen's head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Thanks to the big shot Mingyu Baba for three alliance leaders, this is the big shot's fourth alliance! Also thanks to the big shot Yekuang Xueji for becoming an alliance leader, this is also the big shot's fourth alliance!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Zhao Jiu's birthday official event should continue, everyone is welcome to participate enthusiastically.\u003C\u002Fp>",6505,"2026-06-06T07:46:04.529Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","57975e16f4cc0910fd12a763a032ebdbd88c8fba6fdb2387a1f4e2dfccd7a6b2","shao-song-chapter-388","shao-song-chapter-386",489,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshao-song-cover.jpg"]