Chapter 429: Weeding

Zhao Jiu had no interest in flogging an old man in the dead of night—he truly didn’t have that problem.

When Hebul, reeking of sweat, arrived at the rear hall of the Zhending Prefecture office amid the faint stench of corpses, this Son of Heaven didn’t have someone fetch a washbasin for some performance art; he just sat there silently, weary.

However, after Hebul knelt on the ground surrounded by armored soldiers and finished his respectful and earnest greeting, Zhao Jiu directly dozed off in his seat… In the silent night, the city’s weeping from the day before had long ceased, leaving only the Son of Heaven’s faint snoring, which was especially clear in the rear hall.

Hebul lay motionless, prostrate on the ground; the armored soldiers around him stood solemnly still; and the Imperial Command Officer Liu Yan and the Inner Court Attendant Shao Chengzhang, who were before the Son of Heaven, exchanged glances but could only stand in silence.

No one knew how long they waited—the sky was already turning gray with dawn—when Hebul, whose legs had gone completely numb, suddenly heard a rustling sound, followed by some movement.

After another while, he heard a voice he had heard several times before:

“Hebul? I wasn’t deliberately making things difficult for you just now.”

“The little king knows,” Hebul said, still not lifting his head, his tone somewhat strained—not just because his frontier Chinese was rough, but more because he had knelt so long, spent the whole night awake, and his whole body was stiff when he finally spoke. “If Your Majesty were pretending to sleep, there’s no reason to do it for so long. It was the little king’s poor timing that disturbed Your Majesty’s rest…”

“Go and rest too!” Zhao Jiu said after wiping his face. “We’ll talk after you’ve rested enough, with a clear head… I’m not as idle as the past two days today; I have things to attend to.”

With that, the Son of Heaven rose directly, walked past Hebul’s side, and strode out of the rear hall. As for Hebul, as the footsteps faded behind him, he suddenly collapsed from his kneeling position into a sideways slump.

Regardless, Hebul finally got a chance to rest. Not only that, but when he woke up, someone led him to eat a simple yet filling midday breakfast, and he even took a bath and changed clothes… By the time he walked out of Zhending City with several Mongol princes from the Red Heart Unit to see the Song Son of Heaven outside the city, it was clearly afternoon.

Compared to the night before, the stench of corpses in Zhending City had greatly diminished, and the streets were already bustling—civil and military officials, tribal leaders, generals and soldiers, auxiliary troops and laborers, plus a few merchants and commoners, all flowing back and forth continuously.

The sheer depth displayed by this single military stronghold made all the tribes of the entire Mongolian Plateau combined seem inferior. And because of trade over the past few years, Hebul already knew that in a land as vast as China, there were likely dozens if not hundreds of such great towns.

After leaving the city, Hebul saw many familiar faces—on the open ground north of the city was a large typical Mongol camp, with carts encircling it, patched yurts scattered around, livestock gathered in the center, and many central and western Mongol chieftains he recognized riding light horses back and forth at the camp gate.

Among these people, some were fully equipped, mounted, leading one or several squads of light cavalry at the camp’s edge, shouting orders with Song officers, apparently preparing for or just returning from military duty; others, in plain clothes, leading their warhorses, stopped by Song merchant stalls along the road, gesturing as they prepared to trade for iron pots, needles, thread, and cloth; but the sight that struck Hebul most was when he turned a corner past this obviously western Mongol camp and clearly saw, on the open ground before the central tent at the rear side of the camp, a pile of spoils nearly overflowing!

Countless suits of armor, gold and silver, copper and iron ingots, silk, and furs were stacked openly on the ground, while a group of western Mongol nobles, already changed into lamellar armor, were arguing red-faced… If not for the Song civil officials and armored soldiers beside these goods, these people might have come to blows on the spot.

Hebul was well aware that the Son of Heaven had made him take this route to see this scene, and also to let these Mongol chieftains see him… As he walked along, he watched them, and they noticed him, surrounded by the Imperial Guard—but knowing this, neither side could look away.

The western Mongol tribesmen all knew that Khan Hebul had come alone to see the Son of Heaven to apologize, and Hebul himself had confirmed two indisputable facts from what he had seen and heard—first, that this battle was truly an unprecedented victory, and the Jurchens had truly collapsed in one fight; second, that the Song Son of Heaven indeed rewarded and punished clearly.

If either were lacking, the western Mongols could never have taken so much loot.

Yet after witnessing this, Hebul inexplicably felt relieved.

Passing through the camp north of the city and crossing a stretch of open ground where bodies were being buried (which must have been the source of last night’s stench), Hebul finally arrived at the bank of a great river, where he saw the Song Son of Heaven, whom he hadn’t dared to look at properly the night before… The latter, dressed in plain clothes, sat by the river, surrounded not only by armored soldiers but also by countless civil and military officials, with someone reporting something at that moment.

Clearly, what the Son of Heaven had said this morning was not false.

In fact, Hebul was still not summoned; he could only be kept aside like a prisoner, waiting obediently to be called.

“So by the Qinshui (a semi-artificial, semi-natural channel running north-south connecting the Hutuo and Hulu Rivers), although you swept through many Jin troops, you only captured Wulindai Taiyu, a Wanhu?” Zhao Jiu said thoughtfully.

“Yes,” a Song general before the Son of Heaven replied respectfully—it was Zhang Zhongfu, a Command Officer in the Imperial Camp Cavalry. “Let Your Majesty know, when Deputy Commander Liu captured Wulindai Taiyu, the wretch had already changed into ordinary clothes, but having lived in comfort in Yanjing these years, he was poor at running during the chase and was seen through… It seems the other defeated generals abandoned their commands long ago and escaped one by one; it will be very hard to catch them in a hurry… Does Your Majesty wish to see this man?”

“No need, just behead him directly,” the Son of Heaven, sitting by the river, said without hesitation.

Zhang Zhongfu was startled but quickly acknowledged.

But before he could turn to give orders, the Son of Heaven continued: “Draft a few edicts…”

At these words, several close civil officials stepped forward half a pace to listen, preparing to hear the edicts before formally drafting them.

“First, to Liu Qi: tell Liu Qi to continue advancing east, pursue relentlessly, and must rendezvous with Yue Fei and Zhang Rong to block the Jin routed troops from returning north. Don’t bother with anything else.”

At this point, Zhao Jiu paused slightly, and one close official repeated it. Seeing that the Son of Heaven had no additions, he stepped back a little to draft the edict under a nearby tree’s shade.

“Second… to Liu Qi and all pursuing officers: tell them I don’t want generals, I want soldiers. Capturing more Jin troops is the top priority now—don’t be blinded by military merits; put aside great generals and even the Fourth Prince! If I learn that anyone let Jin routed troops return north in groups while chasing after a general, I will deal with them!”

At these words, not to mention the civil official repeating them to prepare the edict, Zhang Zhongfu’s face turned pale… Clearly, the Son of Heaven was very dissatisfied that the Imperial Camp Cavalry had captured just one Wanhu and hastily sent him back.

“Last… I remember I have already pardoned Liu Xi’s crimes. Find a border military prefecture in Ningxia Circuit and give him a substantive post.” Zhao Jiu finished the last edict quickly and waved Zhang Zhongfu away, then called out again: “Wu Jie!”

Wu Da stepped forward immediately: “Your servant is here.”

“Have you drafted the withdrawal sequence?” The Son of Heaven’s tone seemed somewhat pressing.

“Yes…” Wu Da braced himself to reply. “The western Mongols withdraw first, then the Imperial Camp Central Army, Left Army, and Rear Army each halve their strength…”

“It can’t just be halved,” Zhao Jiu said impatiently. “Zhending’s granaries are well-stocked, but mostly with armor, weapons, gold, silver, and silk—fine for rewards, but the grain is mostly fodder, little actual food. Why keep so many troops? Wasting food or delaying spring plowing? Reduce more.”

Wu Jie dared not speak for a moment.

“Distribute the rewards as soon as possible, then withdraw,” Zhao Jiu said, taking a deep breath and softening his tone. “Leaving seventy to eighty thousand infantry and cavalry here is enough, counting the garrison troops in Taiyuan and Datong, plus Wang Sheng’s ten thousand… Yue Fei should also withdraw appropriately, leaving fifty to sixty thousand is enough… Then arrange for the laborers and auxiliary troops who can’t return in time to stay and do spring plowing and replanting locally.”

“Understood,” Wu Da said, slightly relieved.

“Also…” Zhao Jiu hesitated but finally spoke seriously. “After this place is cleaned up and reorganized, and after the Hejian rendezvous, for the campaign to take Yanjing, let Liangchen be the commander, with Jinqing and Shaoyan as deputies… Let Yue Fei and Tian Shizhong be the rear echelon. If the Jurchens remain stubborn after taking Yanjing, then let Yue Pengju alone be the commander for the campaign beyond the passes… What do you think?”

Han Shizhong and Li Yanxian, who had been silent, both stepped forward and agreed.

This was the real crux of the withdrawal issue.

First, withdrawal was necessary—with the main Jin forces destroyed, maintaining such a huge field attack group was wasteful. Only by withdrawing, easing logistical pressure, could they continue north, maintain the offensive, and take Yanjing.

But the problem was, who exactly should attack Yanjing, and who should withdraw to their garrisons?

From a military convenience perspective, the next step should clearly be to have Yue Fei, Zhang Rong, Tian Shizhong, and the Hebei Field Army, along with the Imperial Camp Cavalry that had pursued this time, plus the Khitans and Mongols, move north from Hejian.

But that also meant most of the Imperial Camp Central Army, Rear Army, and Left Army would have to withdraw.

So on what basis?

The Hedong troops had suffered heavy casualties in the Battle of Huolu, achieved great merit, and decided the realm in one battle—why should they, with greater merit, withdraw directly, letting the Imperial Camp Forward Army and Right Army pick the fruit of Yanjing?

Shouldn’t the gold, silver, honors, and glory of Yanjing go mostly to the Hedong Field Army?

So Zhao Jiu had to consider the morale of the Hedong Field Army, which had just rendered great service; Han Shizhong, Li Yanxian, and Wu Jie also had to consider their subordinates’ opinions and not let them suffer unfairly.

Yet as the Son of Heaven, Zhao Jiu couldn’t only consider that—he also had to think about food issues, political issues, and military discipline… So he came up with this compromise plan, and beforehand had already withdrawn the western Mongols, who had the worst discipline.

Suffice it to say, after a great victory, the road ahead seemed clear, but new problems cropped up all along the way.

Fortunately, after this battle, the Son of Heaven’s authority was notably greater; as long as he ensured rewards and punishments, no one could openly oppose his views.

Returning to the present, after presenting his compromise plan and gaining the approval of the commanders, the Son of Heaven looked somewhat tired but immediately pointed toward Hebul, drawing everyone’s gaze.

Without a doubt, this was another troublesome matter.

“The little king pays respects to Your Majesty.”

Hebul knelt down from a distance. “I have kept Your Majesty waiting long.”

“Rise,” Zhao Jiu said calmly, his expression flat. “It is I who kept you waiting long.”

Hebulai immediately rose, then remained silent... Some matters were already clear to both sides; saying them would just be those words, but the attitude had to be set straight.

"Come a few steps closer," the Imperial Lord continued to instruct.

Hebulai grew even more relieved and quickly stepped forward several paces to stand before the Imperial Lord. Yet even so, several officers subtly moved forward as well, and a few of the military governors each slightly spread out to the sides and front, subtly flanking him.

"The last time I met the Khan was by the Yellow River; this time it's the Hutuo River. Does Mongolia also have such a great river?" Zhao Jiu asked only after the other had stopped, but he did not directly address the main matter.

"To inform Your Majesty, Mongolia naturally has rivers," Hebulai replied earnestly, standing with his hands clasped. "Our Qiyan tribe roams around the Onon River... However, the rivers on the grasslands are not as large as those in the Central Plains, and many change with the seasons."

"The Onon River... the Qiyan tribe... the Borjigin... Hebulai." Zhao Jiu seemed lost in thought, sighing in response, but it appeared he had finally entered the main topic. "The Onon River connects directly to Huining Prefecture, doesn't it?"

"To inform Your Majesty," Hebulai continued to answer seriously. "They are connected by water, but not directly. Downstream from the Onon River is the Haram River, and the Haram River merges with the Huntong River of Huining Prefecture further downstream... However, although this route exists, no one dares to take it because of the dangers and cold along the way. To go from the Onon River to Huining Prefecture, it's faster to go via Linhuang Prefecture."

The Haram River and the Huntong River were both the Heilongjiang, only differing in name for the upper and lower reaches and the north-south flow.

"I see. So when Khan Hebulai went to Huining Prefecture (the Harbin area) to see the old Jin ruler back then, he went via Linhuang Prefecture?"

"Yes."

"In that case, I have a question."

"Your Majesty, please speak."

"Why did the Khan dare to tug on the Jin Emperor's beard back then, yet show such respect before me last night?" Zhao Jiu asked seriously.

Hebulai hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not use any platitudes and answered honestly:

"Because I know that the Jin only occupy the east and south of the various Eastern Mongolian tribes; they can't reach the northern and western deserts at all. Even if we fought, we could use the terrain to respond, hide when needed, fight when needed... But here, Your Majesty has not only defeated the Jin and taken the east and south, but also seized control of Western Mongolia. They know us inside and out..."

Zhao Jiu smiled slightly but said nothing. However, several of the military governors and generals present sneered coldly.

"Besides that, after this battle, Kurchakus Khan has obtained so much armor, equipment, and so much wealth. He's probably eager for Your Majesty to order the elimination of our Eastern Mongolian tribes, letting the Kereyid tribe dominate alone... That makes it even more necessary to be cautious," Hebulai continued. "Also, Your Majesty is willing to trade with us. Many in the tribe are grateful to Your Majesty and don't want to oppose him."

At these words, those present who truly understood the intricacies of the Hebulai-Eastern Mongolia situation immediately grasped the meaning in his words, and their laughter grew louder.

Even the Imperial Lord smiled slightly:

"You see, aren't you quite clever?"

But before Hebulai could respond, Zhao Jiu's slight smile suddenly turned stern: "If you're so clever, then why did you let Eluguan escape from Datong before? Did you think I couldn't win this battle, or that even if the Great Song won, it wouldn't be so simple? So you could take the opportunity to act? Or did you think that with the Jin still around, you could rely on the terrain to advance and retreat freely, and that once I, who have taken Western Mongolia, seize the Zhongjing Circuit and Linhuang Route, you Eastern Mongolians would be bound on three sides... so you deliberately let the Jin go?"

"In any case, I absolutely did not deliberately let the enemy go," Hebulai immediately knelt again before the Imperial Lord after the mention of Eluguan, kowtowing. "Back in Datong, the Jin really fled too fast, and the vanguard tribes didn't know the terrain... Moreover, I had Ambaghai deal with those Tatar vanguard troops."

"And so what?" Zhao Jiu said with emotion. "Hebulai... We in the Central Plains have a saying: to determine a person's merits and faults, you don't guess what they're thinking, but look at what they've done... In this matter, while no one can prove you had ill intent, in the end, no one can prove your innocence either. And regardless, the final result is that your tribe not only failed to join the battle in time, but also forced me to leave troops in Datong for surveillance, directly costing me tens of thousands of troops on the flank in the previous battle. That is correct, isn't it?"

Wu Jie turned sideways and stared at Hebulai, who this time remained silent.

"I know what your leverage is, or rather, half the people here know what you've been hinting at all along," Zhao Jiu continued, squinting at the other. "The reason you, Hebulai, fear me is because I can control Western Mongolia, posing a real threat of extermination to the Eastern Mongolian tribes... Conversely, if the Eastern Mongolian tribes were gone and Western Mongolia grew powerful alone, controlling the entire grassland, it seems I would lose control over Western Mongolia! So, you've made up your mind, convinced that I won't deal with you, is that right?"

Hebulai still said nothing.

"But... the principle is clear rewards and punishments. Western Mongolia rendered great service and must be rewarded; Eastern Mongolia delayed the war and must be punished. As the Son of Heaven, if I am to continue in this role, I must be as fair as possible, right? Moreover, since my ascension, I have twice disregarded the bigger picture and personally killed people, both of whom were big shots who 'avoided battle' like you... In Datong, you committed my greatest taboo!" With that, Zhao Jiu suddenly pointed at him.

With this gesture, several personal guards behind him stepped forward and firmly grabbed Hebulai's shoulders, forcing him to the ground.

Hebulai did not resist but remained silent.

"Are you really so sure I don't dare to kill you?" Zhao Jiu laughed again.

"I never meant that," Hebulai replied calmly from the ground. "The reason I'm not overly frightened is simply that I knew before coming that even if I didn't die on this trip, I certainly wouldn't be able to return. I had already put life and death aside... And after arriving here, I found that Your Majesty has no intention of letting Western Mongolia swallow up Eastern Mongolia, so I became even more indifferent... Your Majesty, I have only one sentence. After that sentence, kill me or cut me up, as Your Majesty wishes!"

"Speak."

"Hebulai is Hebulai! The Qiyan tribe is the Qiyan tribe! Eastern Mongolia is Eastern Mongolia!" Hebulai suddenly raised his head. "These three things, though connected, are absolutely not the same thing!"

"You are truly clever!" Zhao Jiu finally laughed heartily. "This is exactly what I was going to say to you... And I also want to say, your Qiyan tribe is the Qiyan tribe, your cousin Ambaghai's Tayichiud tribe is the Tayichiud tribe, and the Borjigin are the Borjigin."

Hebulai was stunned for a moment, but then shook his head: "Ambaghai is my brother; he won't betray me."

"I didn't say Ambaghai will betray you... But after you and Ambaghai die, the Qiyan tribe and the mixed-origin Tayichiud tribe are destined to fall apart," Zhao Jiu said, shaking his head after laughing. "I have ten thousand ways to cause internal strife among your Borjigin."

"Thinking about things after death is pointless," Hebulai forced a reply.

"That's a reasonable point." Unexpectedly, the Imperial Lord nodded in agreement. "Then let's talk about living, present matters... Hebulai."

"I am here."

"Hebulai, you are absolutely right... I must preserve Eastern Mongolia," Zhao Jiu admitted frankly. "But you and your cousin Ambaghai must be punished... And whether the Qiyan and Tayichiud tribes can survive depends on your performance to earn it."

"Eastern Mongolia still has ten thousand cavalry, willing to be Your Majesty's vanguard to take Yanjing," Hebulai, coming to his senses, quickly declared.

"No need for you to take Yanjing, and you are not permitted to," Zhao Jiu continued shaking his head. "Yanjing is my Yanjing... If you people rush over there, burning, killing, and looting, how can you be restrained? I've even pulled Western Mongolia back."

"Then..."

"You and Ambaghai will take the Zhongjing Circuit (today's Chifeng and Chengde area) for me," Zhao Jiu finally revealed his final judgment on Eastern Mongolia. "If it goes smoothly, you and Ambaghai can live... but you must bring two families' hostages and children to live permanently in Dongjing; if it goes poorly, you and Ambaghai will both die... If you are unwilling to die, or unwilling to come, or only one of you is willing to come, I will have Toli deal with the Qiyan tribe for me, and then find someone from the Merkit or even the Tatar tribe to be the leader."

"Toli..." Hebulai suddenly became flustered.

"Yes, Toli... Kurchakus Khan died in battle," Zhao Jiu said calmly. "My guard, his son Toli, used a spear to carry the crown of Western Mongolia and charged for me... Just this morning, he swept away the Jin routed soldiers for me and returned. Then I distributed the pre-agreed spoils to him here and crowned him... This is the second thing I want to say. From now on, I don't care about other places, but for Eastern and Western Mongolia, as well as Korea, and even the Jurchen if they survive, any royal succession must be crowned by me. Otherwise, they will be rebels, and must be cut into a thousand pieces! What do you think of these two matters? Can you accept them?"

Hebulai was silent for a while and did not answer directly.

Zhao Jiu did not urge him, but just looked up at the Hutuo River before him, lost in thought... Han Shizhong and the others exchanged glances, not daring to interrupt. Several of the advisors also couldn't help but look at the Hutuo River water, guessing that if this Eastern Mongolian king continued to refuse, the Imperial Lord would have him sunk to the riverbed.

After a long time, Hebulai finally spoke again: "Your Majesty."

"What?"

"I saw people burying corpses on the road," Hebulai said seriously from the ground.

"Yes."

"Were those the bodies of Song people or Jin people?"

"Jin people?"

"All Jin people?"

"Yes."

"How many Jin died?"

"Over thirty thousand on the spot. They've been dying continuously these past few days... The stench of corpses won't dissipate, forcing me to send my bedridden Chancellor to another place to recuperate."

"And the Song?"

"What?"

"How many Song people died again?" Hebulai asked, his face full of earnestness and seriousness. "In this battle, how many of His Majesty's great army died?"

Zhao Jiu finally became fully alert, like a cat that had been languid and listless suddenly arching its back: "Why are you asking about this?"

"Knowing this, I can roughly tell whether I should agree to His Majesty's two conditions," Hebulai said, still very serious.

Zhao Jiu looked the other up and down, waited a moment, then calmly informed him: "At the time, over eight thousand died; in the past few days, it has already exceeded ten thousand... They are not buried here, all on a high ground on the opposite bank."

"Then how does His Majesty view these subordinates who died?" Hebulai continued to ask seriously.

This question also aroused the curiosity of many present.

And His Majesty Zhao paused for a long time before suddenly speaking with a solemn expression:

"When mountains crumble and cliffs collapse, brave men perish, then ladders and plank roads connect across the chasm... That is to say, so many people died to pave a great road... So, no matter how many weeds are on the road, I will walk it! And I will even pull all the weeds clean!"

"This is what this little king wanted to know," Hebulai finally nodded. "This is what this little king wanted to know... This little king is willing to accept His Majesty's two conditions! But I also ask His Majesty to grant this little king one small request."

"Where do you get the nerve—"

"Speak." Zhao Jiu stopped several of his subordinates from erupting.

"If this little king makes no further mistakes, I ask His Majesty to also let the Eastern Mongols, like the Western Mongols, have the son succeed the father... After this little king takes the Central Capital Circuit for His Majesty, let my youngest son, Hutula, succeed me... Until then, let Hutula serve as His Majesty's bodyguard." Hebulai gritted his teeth as he spoke.

"Agreed!" Zhao Jiu did not hesitate at all. "Who told Ambaghai not to come?"

Hebulai immediately kowtowed again, and the armored soldiers behind him let go at the right moment.

Zhao Jiu then looked left and right: "Is there anything else today?"

The people around him had no response for a moment.

Ps: Continue to sacrifice a book, "Apocalypse Arrives: Infinite Upgrade Shelter"!