Chapter 359

The two sat down, and Zhang Zhang Jie smiled warmly as he asked Lu Lu Zhishen:

"Brother Lu, how is the Western Xia campaign progressing?"

He had promised the Western Army generals, including Zhong Zhong Shidao, that he would destroy Western Xia,

in exchange for their surrender—and he had no intention of cutting the bridge after crossing.

While Ruan Ruan Xiao Wu's navy was urgently drilling and preparing for the overseas expedition against the Wōnú,

the Western Army, having been restructured by the Great Qian military,

now shaped entirely in the image of Great Qian, had begun advancing toward Xingqing, the capital of Western Xia, at Zhang Zhang Jie's command.

Lu Lu Zhishen had come specifically to report the battle situation to Zhang Zhang Jie.

Although wireless telegraphy now existed, theoretically Zhang Zhang Jie could sit in the imperial palace of Bianliang

and issue micro-commands like some player who turned Steel Heart into Island Warlord,

a commander whose hair rivaled Lu Lu Zhishen's in thickness,

ordering "move the machine gun muzzle five centimeters left"—but theory was theory,

no matter how advanced wireless communication became, it could never replace face-to-face discussion.

Perhaps only when 21st-century internet communication—or even near-sci-fi virtual reality—had turned Earth into a global village might it be possible.

"Your Majesty, under our Great Qian's advanced weaponry,

though the former Western Army soldiers are far less elite than our own troops,

and their officers struggle to fully comprehend or execute the Staff's strategic orders,

our advance on Xi'an has still been unstoppable, like a bamboo shoot splitting through stone.

The Western Xia's final trump card, the Iron Eagles, have already been annihilated in a previous battle.

Yang Zhi, currently serving as vanguard, has already led his troops into Xingqing, the capital of Western Xia.

With the current momentum, the destruction of this rebellious state of Western Xia is imminent!"

At the mention of the Western Xia campaign, Lu Lu Zhishen's broad, muscular face broke into a grin as he passionately reported to Zhang Zhang Jie.

When mentioning the Western Xia front, Lu Lu Zhishen's rugged, muscular face broke into a smile as he eagerly reported to Zhang Zhang Jie.

Zhang Zhang Jie exclaimed in satisfaction.

Yet despite this, he felt no great excitement or surprise.

Though Western Xia had survived for over a century between the pressures of Great Song and Great Liao,

and had long been a regional tyrant in the western lands,

if it could still stand firm against Great Qian's near-19th-century firepower,

it would only mean traitors existed within Great Qian—because such resistance made no sense, no logic.

"Brother Lu, I intend to…"

Satisfied with the answer, Zhang Zhang Jie prepared to give Lu Lu Zhishen, the Commander-in-Chief of the Western Expedition, even greater responsibilities (promotion and title).

Among his old Liang Shan comrades, Lu Lu Zhishen was the only one who had once served in the Western Army of Great Song,

and was formerly a commander under the two Zhong brothers, the de facto rulers of the Western Army.

His ability was unquestionable, his character solid, and he was trustworthy—

no one else was better suited to lead the new Western Army as its commander and as Commander-in-Chief of the Western Expedition.

As for Yang Zhi, also tied to the Western Army, born into the Yang family generals, and theoretically more aligned with the Zhong and Zhe families,

Zhang Zhang Jie wanted a Great Qian Western Army that obeyed the central command like an extension of the arm,

not a regional warlord force loyal only to its generals, not to the emperor in Bianliang.

So Yang Zhi was never even considered from the start.

Of course, Zhang Zhang Jie would not neglect Qingmian Shou, who had risked life and limb for Great Qian—and for him.

He planned to transfer Yang Zhi to the south after the fall of Western Xia; the Duan family's rule over Dali had lasted long enough.

With the combined achievements of destroying Western Xia and Dali,

he believed it would be enough to satisfy the Qingmian Shou, whose lifelong dream was to restore his family's honor.

"Your Majesty."

To Zhang Zhang Jie's surprise, Lu Lu Zhishen, entrusted with such great responsibility,

did not rejoice or bow in thanks as other generals would have. Instead, he spoke:

"Your servant has come specifically to request resignation."

"I wish to step down from my posts as Commander of the Western Army, Commander-in-Chief of the Western Expedition,

and Grand Commander of the Rear Division of the Five Military Directorates. I humbly beg Your Majesty's approval."

As he spoke, he rose from his imperial seat and bowed deeply to Zhang Zhang Jie.

The position of Grand Commander of the Rear Army of the Five Military Commissions, I humbly beg Your Majesty to grant it.

Hearing this, even Zhang Zhang Jie's composure faltered.

They had gotten along so well—why suddenly leave?

Zhang Zhang Jie quickly asked: "Brother Lu, have I done something wrong to make you wish to depart?

If I have erred, tell me—I will correct it. Do not speak of leaving again!"

Hearing Zhang Zhang Jie no longer call himself "I, the Emperor," but "I,"

and sensing the sincerity in his words, Lu Lu Zhishen was deeply moved.

Since ancient times, emperors have been solitary figures; in Buddhist terms, "throughout heaven and earth, only I am supreme,"

looking down on all, seeing all as their subjects, even as livestock—this was normal.

But someone as approachable and genuinely sincere as Zhang Zhang Jie was exceedingly rare.

He bowed fully, forehead touching the ground, tears streaming as he said:

"Without Your Majesty, I was merely a wild monk guarding a vegetable garden in Daxiangguo Temple—how could I have achieved today's glory?

Your Majesty's favor is a debt I could never repay even if I died nine deaths!

You struck north against Great Liao, marched west against Western Xia, reclaimed the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, subdued southern rebels, and unified our Huaxia lands.

Now you plan to launch an eastern campaign against the Wōnú, subdue Dali and Jiaozhi, and expand our borders for ten thousand li.

Your achievements rival those of Qin Shi Huang, Han Wu Di, and Tang Taizong.

Internally, you enacted benevolent rule, exempted the people from taxes for a year, giving them peace to recover.

You abolished the poll tax and merged it into land tax, and made scholar-gentry pay taxes and labor like commoners, breaking the chains from the people's backs.

In my view, Your Majesty is a sage ruler unmatched in all history!"

Zhang Zhang Jie, puzzled, asked: "If I have done nothing wrong, why do you still wish to leave me?"

He further lifted the chains from the people's backs through policies such as merging head tax into land tax and requiring scholar-gentry to serve and pay grain like commoners.

Lu Lu Zhishen straightened, clasped his hands, and smiled as he chanted a Buddhist phrase:

"Your Majesty, our Great Qian's military might is unmatched in the world—and no longer needs my humble strength.

The world is now settled. I know my sins are heavy. I must shed my armor,

don the monk's robe once more, live beneath the green lamp and ancient Buddha, and end my days in penance for my crimes."

Somehow, looking now at Lu Lu Zhishen's broad, meaty face—more butcher than monk—

Zhang Zhang Jie saw on it the compassion usually found on the faces of great sages.

He recalled how Lu Lu Zhishen, in Western Xia, had faced fanatics brainwashed by the so-called "Great Bai Gao State" and its heretical doctrines,

who saw Great Qian as mortal enemies and resorted to suicide bombings,

and how he had issued an order, similar to Zhao Hui's campaign against the Junggar, to "flatten the wheels,"

and thus end all karmic ties. Zhang Zhang Jie fell silent.

That order had been issued by Lu Lu Zhishen behind Zhang Zhang Jie's back—

he intended to bear the guilt of slaughter alone.

Issued an order similar to the later-era Zhao Hui's Pingzhun Ge'er, laying the wheels flat,

Zhang Zhang Jie fell silent for a moment, having issued the command to sever all karmic ties outright.

This order was issued by Lu Lu Zhishen behind Zhang Zhang Jie's back,

He intended to bear the sin of such slaughter alone.