Chapter 4: Heroic Spirit

The next morning, though the sky had already grown light, the autumn wind from the previous night carried a faint chill, creating a scene of overcast gloom threatening rain.

At this time, our battered Emperor Zhao Jiu, having spent a sleepless night in dejection, emerged from his tent with dark circles under his eyes.

In contrast, the tall, imposing Yang Yizhong seemed never to know fatigue. Fully armored, he crouched outside the tent with his hand on his sword, eyes bright. Seeing Zhao Jiu exit, he immediately rose and bowed his head:

"Your Majesty! Let me inform you: the Gentleman for Court Service Liu Yan, though pardoned, is uneasy in his heart. But since Your Majesty retired early, he dared not disturb you, so I had him wait in another tent... Does Your Majesty wish to see him?"

"Didn't I just tell him to let the men go?"

Yang Yizhong bowed his head without answering.

"Forget it, I'll see him." Zhao Jiu yawned and replied helplessly. Though he couldn't fully empathize, he understood Liu Yan's fear, and at this moment, he truly needed to win over such a military leader.

After all, even if you haven't eaten dog meat, you've seen a dog run. Having watched so many TV dramas and read so many novels, Zhao Jiu had some sense. He knew well that in chaotic times, as an emperor on the run, the ones who could truly take his life were never prime ministers or eunuchs—those people could at most tie his hands and prevent him from acting. The greatest threat came precisely from men like Liu Yan and Yang Yizhong, who directly controlled dozens or hundreds of soldiers.

Liu Yan was about thirty years old, looking more like a civil official than a military officer. In fact, it was said he had passed the imperial examinations in Liao, and the title of Gentleman for Court Service seemed to be a civil rank, apparently far more prestigious than Yue Fei's rank of Martial Gentleman!

Hmm, why did I say "seemed" and "apparently"?

The reason was that Zhao Jiu truly didn't understand. You see, according to the rules of the Great Song, office was office, duty was duty, and actual assignment was assignment. Moreover, offices were divided into stipendiary posts, regular posts, and rank posts, each with its own categories—civil officials were civil, military officials were military... Anyway, as a twenty-one-year-old college student with normal intelligence, he couldn't possibly figure out all these intricacies in a few days.

Even Yang Yizhong, who followed him every day as some sort of attendant, was a blur to Zhao Jiu, because there were other attendants around him—several eunuchs specifically tasked with finding his clothes.

Of course, in the final analysis, just as Yang Yizhong was feared by Zhao Jiu because this imposing, tall man always wore armor and carried a sword while watching him, Liu Yan's most practical position at this moment was still as the leader of these eight hundred Red Heart Troops—everything else was empty.

Besides, with the situation as it was, the Great Song was nearly finished—who still cared about this? During the Jingkang era, someone had openly proposed establishing military governors in Hebei. As for those messy official systems, if Zhao Jiu ever got a chance to seize power, he would definitely cut them all down and replace them with something clear and straightforward.

"What is your courtesy name, Liu Qing?" After thinking for a moment, Zhao Jiu, in a bad mood and afraid of revealing his ignorance, decided to cut through the tangle.

"Your subject's courtesy name is Pingfu." Liu Yan was too ashamed to raise his head.

"Pingfu, I know you're uneasy. How about this: pack up." Standing at the tent entrance, Zhao Jiu put on a stern face and spoke seriously. "From today, the Red Heart Troops will detach fifty cavalry to serve in the imperial retinue, with the same treatment as the Imperial Guard... Since the Imperial Guard seems to be rebuilt anyway, consider it a new guard unit! This shows that I do not suspect you or the Red Heart Troops. And Pingfu, you'll have to work hard, overseeing both sides—the imperial presence and here... The sky is gloomy, so quickly start a fire—don't delay everyone's meal."

At these words, not only Liu Yan and the several Red Heart Troop officers behind him were overjoyed, but even Yang Yizhong stood stunned, his mind churning.

Shortly after, Liu Pingfu naturally busied himself with the tasks. But Yang Yizhong, who had become talkative that day and night, once again sighed with emotion, hand on his sword:

"Your Majesty's conduct this day and night truly has the heroic spirit of Han and Tang!"

Zhao Jiu had been listless, but after pacifying Liu Yan and the Red Heart Troops, the gloomy outdoor weather and slightly lower temperature had perked him up a bit. Yet when he suddenly heard the words "heroic spirit," he felt his teeth ache... What kind of heroic spirit was this? If he truly had that Han-Tang heroic spirit, he would have directly ordered Liu Yan to kill Yang Yizhong right here, then led the eight hundred cavalry to storm this Mingdao Palace, taking out Kang, Huang, Wang, and Wang in one fell swoop.

Why would he need you to talk about heroic spirit here? What era is this? Should I give a tiger's shudder?

Of course, Yang Yizhong was tall and fully armed, looking formidable. Moreover, it was said he came from a military family and had prestige among the Imperial Guard. Zhao Jiu, a college student who had only been transported here not long ago, had only killed chickens and beaten cats—he really didn't have the resolve to draw a blade against such a man... What if, within five paces, one man could match a nation?

Thinking this, he could only shake his head in silence—last night he had been lost in wild thoughts again. To resist Jin, he first needed strength; to gain strength, he needed effective control over the remaining half of the realm and build his own core team; to build his core team, he first needed to break through the isolation of the five men—Kang, Yang, Huang, Wang, and Wang—to grasp court politics and personnel; but to break through their isolation, he first needed to win over his own small faction.

Today's move, managing to win over Liu Yan under Yang Yizhong's watch, could be considered turning misfortune into fortune.

"Does Your Majesty favor Liu Pingfu so much because you value his cavalry's advantage?" Seeing that Zhao Jiu had no reaction, Yang Yizhong, standing upright amid the surrounding bustle where no one paid attention, asked again. "And because the Liaodong troops have no ties to the various places in the temporary capital?"

Zhao Jiu finally fixed his gaze on Yang Yizhong—or rather, he finally realized the abnormality of his personal bodyguard, though he still didn't understand the reason.

Was he warning him for deliberately trying to insert sand to divide his authority in the palace?

Logically, that would be it, but clearly, the man's abnormality had started last night, which made it even more intriguing.

"What do you mean, Yang Qing?" Regardless, Zhao Jiu grew wary.

"Your subject only wishes to remind Your Majesty." At the tent entrance, Yang Yizhong bowed slightly, hand on his sword. "Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven—there is no need to be so guarded against your own ministers."

This was almost an open acknowledgment of their unspoken confrontation, and it seemed quite goodwill.

But this still couldn't reassure Zhao Jiu, because he had no idea what kind of person Yang Yizhong was. Who knew if the next second the man might "punch the emperor three times and leave"? Who knew if he might kill him with one stroke and take his head to defect to the Great Jin?

Was this man a rebel or a loyalist? Did he surname Wang or Jiang? What was his nature? Emperor Zhao Jiu was completely in the dark!

In fact, as a time traveler, Zhao Jiu repeatedly hit walls yet kept searching for those 'historical celebrities' he knew—not just because of their outstanding abilities, but often because their temperaments and stances were already known to him, giving Zhao Jiu an illusion of control... a sense of security!

But he knew who Li Gang, Zong Ze, and Yue Fei were—who Yang Yizhong was, Zhao Jiu truly had no idea.

"Your Majesty need not worry."

In the early morning, the autumn wind blew in gusts, the sky growing darker with hints of autumn rain. Yang Yizhong released his hand from his sword, stepped half a pace forward, and continued speaking to the Emperor Zhao Jiu, whose mind was churning but face remained silent. "First, though the realm is in chaos, Your Majesty is the sole legitimate sovereign in the world today—the heart of the people, the tide of the times. Here in the temporary capital, no one can shake Your Majesty's great position. Second, under the Great Song system, all matters are decided before the sovereign—no one can become a powerful minister... Academicians can handle confidential documents, Hanlin scholars can attend in the palace, censors can impeach councilors, and the generals of the Imperial Camp are directly subordinate to Your Majesty—from the Supreme Commander down to the common soldier, their appointments and dismissals are decided by Your Majesty's single word... Even I was requested by Your Majesty from Grand Commandant Zhang (Zhang Jun) when you wanted to rebuild the Imperial Guard. I have no foundation in the palace—Your Majesty can send me back with a single word."

Standing at the tent entrance, Zhao Jiu was inwardly astonished. Even as confused as he was, he understood Yang Yizhong's meaning.

These two sentences: the first told Zhao Jiu not to worry about personal safety or the throne, because at least here in the temporary capital, which inherited the Great Song's overall framework, he was still irreplaceable; the second directly pointed out the Achilles' heel of Kang, Huang, Wang, Wang, and even Yang Yizhong himself!

Use men with academician titles to seize power!

Specifically, use Hanlin academicians to suppress Kang Lü!

Use censors to restrain the councilors!

As for Yang Yizhong and that Wang Yuan, they were actually insignificant—because under the Great Song system, Emperor Zhao Jiu could find a public occasion and decide these military men's fates with a single word.

In other words, Yang Yizhong had unconditionally switched sides!

"Why are you telling me this?" Looking at the busy and energized Red Heart Troops not far away, Zhao Jiu turned his head slightly and squinted. "Just because I pardoned those men yesterday, slept here one night, and promoted Liu Yan—is that some kind of Han-Tang heroic spirit?"

"Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven!" Yang Yizhong bowed slightly, neither humble nor arrogant.

"Then why didn't you speak yesterday?" Zhao Jiu snapped back to reality, pressing relentlessly. "Or the day before."

"If Your Majesty insists on getting to the bottom of it, your subject has only four words to offer!" Yang Yizhong finally raised his head completely before Zhao Jiu.

And the two, of similar height, faced each other at close range. Only then did Zhao Jiu notice for the first time the equally young face hidden beneath the man's armor—not just the image of a simple watcher.

"What four words?" After a long pause, Zhao Jiu finally asked.

"National enmity and family hatred... that's all!" Yang Yizhong's face was expressionless.

Zhao Jiu was stunned into silence. Of course, he knew that was a phrase he had used last night to shut Yang Yizhong up, spoken from the perspective of Zhao Gou's body.

To be fair, those words had been meant as a敷衍, but unexpectedly, they had struck this man right in the heart!

Moreover, Zhao Jiu understood that the man's defection must have deeper reasons—for instance, that line 'Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven' might be the most fundamental cause. Because even if these people had doubts, they dared not deny that this body was indeed Emperor Zhao Jiu, and as the emperor, he naturally possessed authority. Also, Yang Yizhong, as a palace attendant, seemed to hold a noble but lowly position within that five-man group, almost like an appendage to Kang Lü. Sticking it out like that was far less promising than switching sides and gambling.

But regardless, at this moment, Zhao Jiu was filled with curiosity and shock over those four words: national enmity and family hatred.

"I remember some guards said you come from a military family..." Zhao Jiu clasped his hands slightly and stood, then turned his head to look elsewhere. "You should also know that after falling into the well, I don't remember some things clearly."

"Your subject naturally knows."

Yang Yizhong stood upright, speaking frankly. "During the Jingkang era, my father, Yang Zhen, was the Magistrate of Jianning Stockade in Linzhou and died at the hands of the Jin. My grandfather, Yang Zongmin, then Commander of the Yongxing Army Circuit, fell in battle against the Jin... I was twenty-three at the time, my family destroyed, but I could not die for honor. So I fled east to Hejian, met Grand Commandant Zhang on the road, and together we went to Xinde Prefecture, where we were taken in by Liang Shizhi (Liang Yangzu) and finally reached the Marshal's Headquarters... National enmity and family hatred—for me, it is a pain that cuts to the bone!"

"Your grandfather was called Yang Zongmin?" Zhao Jiu turned back in a daze. "The Zong generation."

"Yes."

"Then what relation does your family have to Yang Ye, Yang the Invincible?"

"At the founding of the dynasty, my distant ancestor, Yang Ye, was long stationed in the Jin region and indeed had some renown, but I have never heard of the title 'Invincible'." Yang Yizhong still spoke plainly.

"You are a direct descendant of the Yang clan?" Zhao Jiu was finally stunned. "A proper, legitimate Yang Family General?"

"I cannot claim to be a direct descendant, and as a military family of the Great Song, I dare not call myself a 'family general'." Yang Yizhong's face, which seemed never to change, finally showed some gloom. "But my family has been in Hedong for a hundred years, six generations as generals, and naturally has some reputation in the Western Army. Yet since the Jingkang Incident, the family has been scattered. Only four brothers remain by my side; the rest are lost without trace. And here in the march, I am probably the only adult who has entered official service. As things stand now, even if there is such a thing as the Yang Family Generals, I fear only I am left."

It seemed that Yang Kang might not necessarily be your grandson, but could be your grandnephew... In a daze, Zhao Jiu actually thought of this absurd matter.

However, as an autumn raindrop fell, he quickly came to his senses and stepped forward: "What is your courtesy name, Minister Yang?"

—————I am the dividing line for suddenly receiving a large number of tips—————

PS: Thank you to the big shots for the tips... Yiyun, Nastasya, Factory Director, Old Dao, Duke of Kerson, Abei, Real Madrid, Uncle Bear, Overlord Xiang Yu, Ayue, Seven Years Old, Lucis Ring, Masked Superman Mr. Wang, and Elrath, as well as Haidi, July, and so on and so forth... (Feels like padding the word count)

Many are old acquaintances. After all, a book with only three chapters originally had no right to ask for patrons; they all followed from my old book... I'll have Xiao Jiu bow to everyone, deeply grateful.

By the way, this is the end of my saved drafts. Starting today, I will become someone who writes every night.