[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shao-song":3,"chapter-shao-song-shao-song-chapter-51":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},1558217,2024,"Chapter 51: Life and Death (Part One)","shao-song-chapter-51",51,"\u003Cp>As it happened, with Han Shizhong personally leading a fleet of sailing ships upstream against the current, the Jin Jun almost instantly lost any desire to cross the Huai River.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, thinking about it, the Jurchens were barbaric, not stupid—quite the opposite, in fact; they had a very high awareness of military technology. So, faced with the obvious disparity on the water before their eyes, they could tell with their eyes closed that any pontoon bridge or any of the previous large or small boats would be no match for the sheer ramming power of these great sailing vessels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under these circumstances, where was the will to fight?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, courage and fighting spirit were not entirely lost; the Jin Jun had not sunk to that level yet. But before they could figure out how to deal with this fleet, they were inevitably disheartened and tried to avoid battle with it…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, no matter how aggrieved Grand Commandant Zhang felt, Han Shizhong's timely arrival had in fact tipped the strategic balance of the entire campaign, and in fact brought today's battle to a close with the Song Jun's successful defense as the final verdict.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, what allowed the Song Jun to end the battle with dignity today was by no means solely the merit of Han Shizhong and his sailing fleet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"His Majesty is here!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"His Majesty has come to see Seventh Brother Zhang!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Commander Qiao and Yang Dalang are here too!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Seventh Brother Zhang has quite the face!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At dusk, in the camp that blocked the western passage at the foot of Mount Bagong, behind the western river fortress, amid a commotion, Zhao Jiu, His Majesty, wearing a stiff-winged black hat and a new golden belt, appeared with a solemn expression outside a crowded military tent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, he had come to visit Zhang Yongzhen, the great hero of today's battle… Zhang Yongzhen had almost single-handedly turned the tide with his boat today; his merit was beyond doubt. More importantly, at a time when the entire army was on the verge of collapse and no one dared to fight, his counterattack was especially precious. Beyond that, only after this 'direct subordinate' of Zhao Jiu was carried back did everyone discover that he had been hit by nineteen arrows, had nearly bled dry, and was clearly on the verge of death!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At a time like this, Zhao Jiu, who had already secured absolute autonomy in the Huainan camp, had no reason not to pay a visit, to win people's hearts and set an example.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Entering the tent, the mixed stench of blood and river water hit him in the face. On top of that, the sweat of the crowded men, the smell of burning fuel, and the strange odor of herbal medicine all mingled together, truly suffocating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be fair, in the half year since leaving the well, Zhao Jiu had gone from being shaken at the sight of killing and bloodshed, to killing with his own hands, to crossing the river holding Liu Guangshi's severed head—he should have long since grown accustomed to certain scenes. Yet, when His Majesty came to Zhang Yongzhen's bedside and saw his robes undone, the bloody holes on his body crudely packed with wound medicine, contrasting with his deathly pale skin, he once again lost his composure in public, turning his head away… Whether from shock or from finding the sight unbearable to look at was unclear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After composing himself for a moment, Zhao Jiu still looked at Zhang Yongzhen, but only stared at the man's face, trying hard to avoid looking at his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty… you came after all. I knew… knew Your Majesty would come…\" Zhang Yongzhen struggled to speak, forcing a smile, but he was gasping for breath—the very posture of a dying man. \"I also guessed… guessed that Your Majesty would surely… surely be… startled by my… appearance.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you have anything to say, Minister Zhang?\" Zhao Jiu managed to respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yongzhen did not waste his precious energy; instead, he rolled his eyes and glanced at the onlookers around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu understood and immediately turned his head. Without His Majesty needing to speak, Yang Yizhong, who was nearby, knew what to do and promptly ordered: \"Everyone out! Seventh Brother Zhang has something to say to His Majesty in private!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though curious, no one in the tent dared to be slow. Led by Commander Qiao Zhongfu, the gathered soldiers, medics, and laborers all filed out of the tent to avoid the scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment, Zhang Yongzhen still said nothing, but fixed his gaze on Yang Yizhong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, before Zhao Jiu could turn his head, Yang Yizhong tactfully withdrew. For a time, only Zhao Jiu and Zhang Yongzhen remained in the tent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I, I today… brought glory to Your Majesty. I want… want me, a dead man… to get a big official post, the kind… that can bring honor to my wife and children…\" Somewhat surprising, but not enough to shock Zhao Jiu, Zhang Yongzhen, on the verge of death, showed no heroic spirit of the ancients, but instead asked for posthumous rewards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That goes without saying.\" Zhao Jiu instinctively grasped the man's ice-cold hand and answered almost without hesitation. \"After you are gone, Minister Zhang, there will certainly be a posthumous title. If we find your family in Yan'an Prefecture in the future, your elders and wife will be granted noble titles and official positions, and your son will certainly receive a substantial hereditary post… Not only that, when true peace comes one day, I will enfeoff you, Zhang Yongzhen, as the River God of the Huai, build you a temple, and let the people of the world offer you incense.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, a flush of red spread across Zhang Yongzhen's pale face, and his hand gained a little strength, but he still forced a smile: \"How could a man like me… become a god?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu was about to speak again, but Zhang Yongzhen did not stop: \"God or not, forget it… Your Majesty, do as you wish… Your, Your Majesty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Speak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My, my brothers on the boat today…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Rest assured, the nine men on that boat will become gods alongside you in the future. If they have families, when we find them, there will be arrangements too! Anything else to say?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, yes! My wife… if, if she remarries… I'm petty-minded… Your Majesty must…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I understand,\" Zhao Jiu said, slightly moved, forcing himself to answer. \"She must not be granted a noble title!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yongzhen's breath eased a little, but he struggled to speak again: \"Better, better to give it to her… she has it hard too… And if, if they can't be found in Yan'an Prefecture, they, they might have… gone back to our hometown in Longxi.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have noted it all!\" Zhao Jiu's nose stung slightly at these words, but he held back, maintaining a solemn expression. \"Your wife will be granted a noble title even if she remarries. If your family cannot be found in Yan'an Prefecture, we will search in your hometown… Rest assured, I will fulfill all my promises to you. As long as we can fight our way back, I will do my utmost to find your family—see them alive, or see their bodies if dead! Not only you, but also your brothers on the boat today—I will do everything I can to give you all a resolution!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Zhang Yongzhen fully relax, a faint smile spreading across his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Anything else to say?\" Zhao Jiu pressed on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your, Your Majesty.\" Zhang Yongzhen spoke again, but his breathing became shorter and more rapid, and a distinct rattle began in his chest. \"You, you have been so… so generous to me and my men… If I don't say something, I fear… I fear I would be failing you… You, you lean in… Don't, don't let the people outside hear…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu quickly leaned in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Zhang Yongzhen, mustering all his remaining strength, gripped Zhao Jiu's hand tightly and whispered with all his might into His Majesty's ear:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know Your Majesty is winning people's hearts. I knew it from the start! My madness on the river today was not for Your Majesty, not out of loyalty, and not for any reward or favor… I, I just wanted to go home, wanted to go home… I was, I was going mad with it! I'm sorry…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having said this with all his might, Zhang Yongzhen fell back, gasped twice, and on the third breath, failed to draw it, dying then and there on the bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Zhao Jiu was stunned for a moment. Then, watching the man die before him, he felt, for some reason, as if something had smashed open his heart and lungs. Clutching the man's hand, he could not stop the tears from falling. Then, finding it hard to breathe, he let go of everything and wept unrestrainedly, like a flood bursting through a sluice gate!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the tent, countless Western Army officers and soldiers who had come to watch, as well as civil and military officials from the provisional court who had rushed over upon hearing the news, initially intended to enter and console His Majesty upon hearing the crying. Yang Yizhong, the closest, had even reached out to lift the tent flap. But upon suddenly hearing such unrestrained weeping from within, they all froze as one, and for a time, no one dared to step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Thanks to Auntie as well for your patronage.\u003C\u002Fp>",1593,"2026-06-06T07:45:46.639Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","55ec65fafe499c3d1e6b6222408aa320770637dcc561ba9411a399b37e61a9e8","shao-song-chapter-52","shao-song-chapter-50",489,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshao-song-cover.jpg"]