Chapter 84: Flowing Light (Part 1)

The great victory after months of torment made almost everyone indulge themselves in rare abandon. And for Zhao Jiu, the significance of this battle seemed to carry some other, special meaning.

Thus, on the day of the battle, just as he had endured the morning on the city wall only to lose composure publicly later, the Zhao Emperor after the battle was quite similar... He forced himself to inspect the battlefield, trying his best to play the role of a wise emperor to win people's hearts, yet after summoning the day's meritorious officers in the evening, he once again lost composure over wine, drinking himself into a stupor.

When he opened his eyes again, it was already noon the next day.

"I... We..."

Zhao Jiu turned over and sat up, looking warily at the few people in the room—two young eunuchs, one senior eunuch Lan Gui, and one Yang Yizhong. He opened his mouth to speak but was momentarily incoherent. "Do you have anything to tell Us?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty," Yang Yizhong quickly bowed his head to report. "Controller-General Han came to report this morning, saying that scouts following the Jin troops found the remnants of the Jin army had already reached Mengcheng last night. The two units that had disappeared earlier, just as Controller-General Han predicted, were preparing to cross the river at Kantuanzhen upstream on the North Feishui, but upon hearing the news, they hastily turned back to Mengcheng... As for their next move, we must wait for further scout reports, but in any case, the sieges of Guangzhou and Shouzhou have indeed been lifted."

The Zhao Emperor nodded repeatedly, but still seemed somewhat dazed. It was only after a long while, when he picked up the hot towel personally handed to him by Lan Gui and casually wiped his face, that he continued to ask: "Anything else?"

"Yes..." Yang Yizhong quickly answered again. "The former... military graduate, Ma Kuo from Didao, has come from north of the Yellow River. He was originally blocked by the Jin army around the Feishui area, but last night, after the Jin army turned toward the Guoshui to join Jin Wushu, he crossed the river overnight and rushed here. He carries personal letters with seals from Defender-General Zong and Senior Colonel Yang, saying he has important matters to report to Your Majesty in person. Since Your Majesty had not yet risen, Minister Lu is currently receiving him."

Zhao Jiu showed a clear reaction to the name Ma Kuo, as if he had heard it somewhere before—it seemed to be a famous person—but after a moment of not being able to recall, he continued to shake his head blankly: "Anything else?"

"Yes."

Yang Yizhong bowed his head again, causing Lan Gui beside him to frown slightly, clearly extremely dissatisfied that a military official had encroached upon the authority of the Palace Eunuch Bureau and the Inner Palace Eunuch Bureau to this extent. Only the precedent of Kang Ju served as a warning, and with the temporary court wandering outside and him isolated without support, he could not make an issue of it. "Minister Lu and Grand Commandant Zhang both said that because the area north of the Huai River is unsettled, as a precaution, they request that Your Majesty cross the river immediately after rising to rest at the Bagongshan temporary camp, so that you can also join Privy Councilor Wang, gather the Eastern and Western Administrations, and discuss major affairs together!"

The Zhao Emperor nodded slightly on the couch, returned the hot towel to Lan Gui, seeming to have found some composure, but continued to press: "Anything else?"

Yang Yizhong was startled for a moment, thought for a while, then lowered his head again to report cautiously: "The wounded and the soldiers who died in battle have all been transported across the river since yesterday; as the weather turns hot, following Your Majesty's instructions, the large tomb at Bagongshan is being hastily dug and built, connected to the tomb of Xiezhong Grand Master Zhang Yongzhen; also, the roster Your Majesty ordered yesterday while inspecting the wounded and distributing spoils—recording the actual troop numbers, weapons, warhorses, etc., of each army—is making very difficult progress because the various officers are resistant. Even if you give your servants many more days, I'm afraid we'll only have a rough estimate..."

"That's not what I'm asking," Zhao Jiu suddenly interrupted him.

"Your Majesty..." Yang Yizhong hesitated upon hearing this, then became even more cautious. "Your Majesty naturally has many other matters, such as the whereabouts of the temporary court, the deployment of troops to suppress rebellions in various places, the transport of supplies from the southeast, Jingxiang, and Sichuan, the promotion and placement of officials, and certain additional military intelligence assessments. But these must be discussed by the ministers of the Eastern and Western Administrations in Your Majesty's presence; they are not matters that this insignificant subject can speak of."

Zhao Jiu was silent for a moment. He actually wanted to ask directly whether he had lost composure after drinking yesterday and whether he had 'leaked heavenly secrets,' but seeing the other party so cautious, he felt a bit foolish instead... To put it bluntly, even if he had drunk too much and said things he shouldn't have, even if rumors of a fox spirit were flying everywhere, what could anyone do to him now?

It must be understood that at this moment, setting aside the military threat from the Jin, the only person capable of posing a real threat to him, the Zhao Emperor, was Li Gang, Duke and Minister.

However, regarding that sole threat, not to mention that Li Gang was somewhat sentimental and mindful of the bigger picture. Even if, hypothetically, Li Boji suddenly went mad along with the Empress Dowager, Consort Pan, the imperial heir, and Zhang Que, Xu Jingheng, and Yuwen Xuzhong outside—after this battle, Han Shizhong, Zhang Jun, and the many troops and laborers at the Shouzhou temporary camp would probably only recognize him, this Bagongshan version of the Zhao Emperor, right?!

Li Gang was only a theoretical threat.

So, after thinking for half a day, Zhao Jiu instead laughed at himself—since he had already passed that period of self-abandonment, rather than being paranoid here, he might as well seriously think about the real matters. Since Jin Wushu had left, he would come again sooner or later, so some things could not be delayed. Fortunately, he already had a plan in mind.

With this thought, the Zhao Emperor composed himself again: "What Zhengfu says is very true. Although this is a rare great victory, the situation is still urgent. Half a day of indulgence is enough. Since there are so many affairs, let's not delay the real business. Let's cross the river early and find the two ministers to discuss matters."

Yang Yizhong naturally acknowledged the order.

And so, Zhao Jiu simply got up, washed up a bit, and then prepared to eat.

However, before eating, the Zhao Emperor first sent Yang Dalang out to find Wang Yuan and summon the troops of Hu Yantong, Zhang Jing, and Qiao Zhongfu, preparing to return together with the Imperial Guard.

After Zhao Jiu had eaten a few bites, roughly filling his stomach, and saw Yang Yizhong return to report, he then sent the senior eunuch of the Palace Eunuch Bureau, Lan Gui, and others out for a round... He wanted Han Shizhong, Zhang Jun, and others to continue guarding Xiacai and the Huai River area, and to notify Lu Haowen and the other key officials of the temporary court, including Shouzhou Prefect Zhao Ding, to take boats to Huainan for discussion.

As soon as Lan Gui went out, Zhao Jiu himself then left the large mansion that had originally been occupied by Zhang Jun. He didn't say goodbye to anyone, didn't wait for anyone, simply mounted his horse, casually led Yang Yizhong and the Imperial Guard, passed through the water gate to rendezvous with Hu Yantong's three generals, and boarded a boat for Bagongshan.

On the other side, Han Shizhong and Zhang Jun knew that their real rewards would come today, making them extremely anxious—not to mention that. The civil officials, from Lu Haowen downward, also understood how important the matters to be discussed today were, so they each harbored their own thoughts and wished to go over earlier... Only, with Minister Lu present, no one dared to cross first. They waited for a long time at the inner crossing, and only after everyone had gathered and exchanged courtesies did they hastily cross.

And when Lu Haowen and the other civil officials, surrounded by attendants, returned to Huainan and arrived at the dock of the water village at the foot of Bagongshan, they felt the atmosphere was off. When they reached the mountainside, seeing military officers and soldiers of all ranks along the way, all fully armored and in strict formation, lined up from the mountainside all the way to the small camp at the summit without end, they were even more bewildered.

But because the Emperor was waiting, in broad daylight, they couldn't stop to ask a single question. And there was no time to think much; after climbing the mountain and passing the small camp at the summit, before long, the imperial tent was already ahead.

Lu Haowen and the others entered, seeing the Emperor sitting expressionless in a red robe and a hat with a slightly crooked wing, with Privy Councilor Wang Boyan, Imperial Camp Commander-in-Chief Wang Yuan, the newly arrived Minister of Personnel Lin Qi, and Zhang Suo, who had apparently just rushed over from nearby Shouchun behind them, all waiting solemnly. Countless Imperial Guards, who had just fought on the battlefield yesterday, stood around the wooden shed with hands on their swords, and the officials couldn't help but feel a chill.

"Your servants..."

"No need for formalities," the Zhao Emperor waved his hand decisively. "There are too many matters. Sit down, and stand when you speak. Let's discuss affairs directly!"

"Yes..." Lu Haowen and the others all shuddered, clearly affected by the surrounding atmosphere.

"Have the rewards and promotions for the officers been decided?" As soon as everyone sat down, the Zhao Emperor asked without a moment's pause.

Fortunately, the first matter discussed was not out of line, and everyone was prepared.

Thus, Lu Haowen and Wang Boyan, who had just sat down, exchanged a glance, then stood up together, even deferring to each other for a moment. Finally, Wang Boyan, in his capacity as Privy Councilor, took the lead:

"Reporting to Your Majesty, from the top down, starting with Han and Zhang. Your servant believes that the two generals, one brave and decisive, the other steady and capable, have both rendered great service. They should each be granted an additional Military Governorship to show imperial favor!"

"Your servant seconds the motion," Lu Haowen immediately agreed, and no one around opposed.

Zhao Jiu also nodded slightly.

It must be understood that he was no longer a complete fool about official systems. Although he still couldn't clearly distinguish between Pacification Commissioners and Observers, he at least knew that Military Governor was the pinnacle of a military man's status in the Song Dynasty—the so-called 'establishing a military governorship' for a military man... Beyond that, it was nothing more than dual Military Governorships, triple Military Governorships, and then Grand Protector, Junior Protector, and even Duke or Commandery Prince.

In short, the 'Grand Commandant Han' that Han Shizhong had longed for was finally securely in his pocket, and this time it was definitely guaranteed.

After Han Shizhong and Zhang Jun, the promotions and transfers of other officers such as Wang De, Liu Bao, Wang Sheng, and Xie Yuan were also thoroughly familiar to Wang Boyan as Privy Councilor. Basically, as he named one, it passed, with occasional debates only on superficial matters... So in no time, everything was settled one by one.

At the same time, Little Academician Lin, who never involved himself in such debates, sat under the wooden shed with several Secretariat Drafter assistants, his brush flying swiftly, drafting the edicts one by one as the Emperor required.

But after the official ranks, when it came to actual appointments, everyone couldn't help but grow tense.

"As for the appointments of Zhang and Han, your servant has previously made suggestions, and I ask Your Majesty to consider them clearly," Wang Boyan bowed his head.

"We understand what Minister Wang means," Zhao Jiu nodded casually upon hearing this, and was extremely straightforward in revealing the bottom line. "Before, because there was a war to fight, We did not allow much discussion of these matters, lest it affect military morale. But now that the battle is roughly over, some things cannot be delayed... Gentlemen, regarding the arrangements for Han Shizhong, Zhang Jun, and the other generals, and the reorganization of the army, We know you all have various plans in mind. But to discuss this, we must first settle another fundamental matter: if Wanyan Wushu truly retreats north, where should our temporary court be established? Should it be in Yangzhou, in Dongjing, continue to Nanyang, or, as Privy Councilor Wang recently suggested, simply stay here in Shouzhou? Regardless, today the Eastern and Western Administrations must quickly decide this matter before Our eyes!"

Wang Boyan and Lu Haowen exchanged a glance, neither daring to hesitate. The former, already in the middle of responding, took the opportunity to bow his head: "Your servant still holds to his previous argument: the temporary court should remain in Shouzhou, staying in Shouchun behind it! If Shouzhou is made an auxiliary capital, then military affairs will naturally follow, economic supply will be continuous, manpower can rely on the Central Plains, and in future major battles, we can hold the Huai River line... This place is far superior to Yangzhou's partiality, Nanyang's flatness, and Dongjing's emptiness."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ding and Lin Jingmo, who had direct interests in Shouzhou, almost wanted to agree, but for some reason, they both held back together. Thus, after these words were spoken, there were very few respondents. Among the important and close ministers qualified to speak before the Emperor, only Wang Yuan was one.

"Your servant still recommends moving to Yangzhou. Yangzhou is safe and secure," Lu Haowen, knowing he could not avoid it, forced himself to step forward half a pace and, under the Zhao Emperor's calm gaze, insisted on his consistent argument from Nanjing (Shangqiu). "Moving the court to Yangzhou has three advantages: first, the southeast's financial resources need not be transported an extra five hundred li; second, in case of any emergency, we can cross the Yangtze River at any time and rely on the natural barrier for defense; third, your servant asks to speak frankly—after today's battle, no one doubts Your Majesty's resolve to resist, and Yangzhou, after all, is not across the Yangtze River, still belongs to Huainan, and cannot be called a partial peace... If Your Majesty harbors the intention of restoration, you should still seek a secure location."

Unexpectedly, this destination, which had almost been publicly rejected by the Zhao Emperor on the road, now had quite a few supporters. Clearly, circumstances had changed, and things had shifted.

"Shouzhou and Yangzhou have been proposed. What about others?" Zhao Jiu remained noncommittal after several people had spoken. "Before the imperial tent today, everyone may speak freely."

"Your servant, Secretariat Drafter Hu Yin, believes we should return to Dongjing to reassure the people!" Sure enough, Hu Mingzhong could no longer hold back.

"..."

"..."

Zhao Jiu had no choice but to actively look at another key figure amidst the silence: "Minister Lin, you come from the southeast. Did Duke-Minister Li have any relevant words to convey?"

The so-called Minister Lin was naturally Lin Qi, the Vice Minister of Personnel, the one with the same name as Little Academician Lin's father. He was Li Gang's representative at the temporary court, and upon hearing this, he spoke frankly:

"Reporting to Your Majesty, when your servant came, such a great victory was not anticipated. So at that time, Minister Li only had a few words: he hoped that wherever Your Majesty went, you must not hesitate, but decide immediately, so that he could conveniently set out and rendezvous with Your Majesty."

Zhao Jiu remained noncommittal but continued to press loudly: "Does anyone else have anything to say?"

At these words, the Censor-in-Chief Zhang Jun, the Jade Hall Academician Lin Jingmo, and the Shouzhou Prefect Zhao Ding—three men of different ages but all recognized as the newly rising core figures of the Bagongshan temporary court—all felt a sudden jolt in their hearts... and then immediately realized something!

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