Chapter 578: The Role of a Loyal Minister Is Not Always a Positive One

Feng Yanlu crossed the river that very night, and to make the urgency plain, Administrative Assistant Feng even staged a little scene for himself.

So when the boat passed Caishi Jetty, Feng Yanlu, his heart full of concern for the state, fell into the water in his extreme anxiety and nearly gave his life for the country.

This move was played very dangerously, because Feng Yanlu almost really was not pulled back out.

But correspondingly, the returns were also very great.

The moment Li Jing saw Feng Yanlu looking like a drowned rat, he immediately believed what Feng Yanlu said — that ten thousand Zhou cavalry had already crossed the river, and that the Zhou sovereign, enraged because he refused to abandon his state title, had detained Sun Cheng and Han Xizai.

From Caishi Jetty, going downriver with the current, it was no more than sixty li to Jiangning; with ten thousand cavalry already across, they could reach the Qinhuai River in an hour at most.

If one added the Zhou army at the eastern capital Yangzhou across the river forcing a crossing, then the outcome would be beyond any doubt!

Previously Li Jing had looked somewhat fearless because he still had a way out — at worst he could slip away to Hongzhou; who was afraid of whom?

But now that his escape route was cut off, his heart immediately grew uneasy. After all, however important territory, wealth, and face might be, they could not compare with the importance of his life.

So Li Jingsui could no longer get away. Since the Zhou sovereign demanded that someone of weight go to negotiate, then it could only be His Highness the Prince of Qi who went.

Li Jing swiftly held a simple ceremony, installing his second younger brother, the Prince of Qi Li Jingsui, as imperial younger brother-heir, and sent him in his own place to Caishi Jetty to sue for peace with the Zhou sovereign.

Meanwhile in Hezhou, the detained Sun Cheng and Han Xizai were truly frightened badly.

Because Zhang Zhao had to put on the appearance of wanting to learn the inside situation of Jiangning, of desperately longing to take Jiangning and capture Li Jing alive.

Otherwise, Feng Yanlu would be very easily exposed. That old fox Zhou Zong had already lain down and stopped moving, shutting his door to go make babies.

The only one Zhang Zhao was familiar with was Feng Yanlu, and behind Feng Yanlu there was also an elder brother, Feng Yanji.

So on the first day, Sun Cheng and Han Xizai were practically starved for an entire day, given only a bowl of rice water at noon.

At dawn on the second day, the Zhou sovereign's adopted son, Commander of the Brocade Guard, the Marquis of Shicheng, Zhang Liecheng, personally brought the imperial cooks and presented lamb and fine wine to urge surrender.

Though Sun and Han were so weak from hunger they could barely move, they still did not yield.

The staunch Sun Cheng kept his mouth shut and refused to eat, completely uncooperative. Han Xizai, by contrast, ate meat in great mouthfuls and drank wine from a great bowl, but when asked about intelligence on Jiangning city, he too would not say a single word, and he had prepared himself to be harshly dealt with.

Seeing that this ploy would not work, Zhang Liecheng immediately resorted to the most common method — torture.

This of course would not mean torturing Sun Cheng and Han Xizai; that would be far too crude.

Zhang Liecheng brought two bandits, captured by the Brocade Guard, before the two men.

These two bandit chiefs were from the vicinity of Hezhou. After the Southern Tang prefect of Hezhou had fled, these two had led a band of brigands and ruffians in plundering the people fleeing the city outside its walls.

In all they had raped more than ten women, wounded several dozen people, and looted goods and money worth nearly five hundred strings of cash — one could say their crimes were monstrous.

Zhang Zhao had always punished such shameless criminal scum without mercy.

Even in his own army, plunder combined with rape and beating of civilians was a capital offense, let alone for bandits.

It was just that these two chiefs had very bad luck: one second before being beheaded, they were dragged over by Zhang Liecheng to kill a chicken to warn the monkeys.

The so-called cruel torture was also very simple — nothing more than pulling out fingernails and the tiger bench.

But for scholars like Sun Cheng and Han Xizai, it seemed far too horrifying.

When the lead bandit had the nails of all ten fingers pulled out alive right in front of Han Xizai, Han Xi was already frightened to the point of near collapse.

For this was no simple nail-pulling. The Brocade Guard's interrogation expert first used a bamboo splinter to slowly pry around the nail, applying enormous psychological pressure, and only then suddenly stabbed it in and slowly peeled it back.

Amid the bandit's earth-shaking screams, the entire nail was peeled off intact — the nail was perfect in form, without the slightest break, and not even a trace of flesh or blood clung to its root.

And after peeling it off, the interrogator would repeatedly smear the wound with strong liquor and fine salt, to prevent it from festering.

Each nail represented one portion of pain, and between each nail pulled there was an interval of about thirty breaths, because this interval was just enough to let a person barely adapt to the pain before them.

And after those thirty breaths in which the pain slightly subsided, the intense agony and horrifying screams would ring out again.

Even though this bandit was an extremely tough, brawny man, he did not last until all ten nails were pulled before he nearly passed out from pain and terror.

The interrogation expert, seeing that the bandit was about to faint, turned back and looked at Han Xizai with a somewhat unsatisfied air.

"Does the young lord know? Our Brocade Guard's Bureau of Medicines has invented a new kind of wound salve, wondrously effective at stopping blood and growing flesh — a supreme treasure.

And the Sage has also passed down the teaching that sheep gut may be used as thread to perform the art of cleansing away evil and suturing wounds. It is only that this humble one, using this method to save over a hundred brave warriors whose chests and bellies had been cut open, had only three survive."

Saying this, the interrogation expert seemed to fall into deep thought. "If this method were useless, then certainly not even two or three brave warriors could have survived. If it is useful, why does it not achieve even one-tenth of its effect?

I suppose the master physician the Sage saw was surely no ordinary mortal. It is a pity that this humble one is a common man of mortal flesh, unable to master this skill.

Thinking it over, could it be that this humble one's understanding of the five viscera and six bowels is insufficient? Or is it truly as the Sage says — that human blood is divided into three, six, or nine kinds, and if one studies it deeply and thoroughly, one truly could seize blood and exchange lives?"

Having finished, the interrogation expert looked at Han Xizai. "I have heard that the Drafter of Edicts is a man of profound learning in the southern kingdom. Would you know the mysteries of human blood?"

Han Xizai's eyes widened in terror, amid the victims' shrill screams, in this prison cell reeking of blood.

A terrifying interrogator in a white robe, both hands covered in blood, spoke of cutting open a man's belly as if it were nothing at all.

As if all morality and law in the world had ceased to exist; in his eyes, a person was no longer a person, but the same as a pig or sheep.

In that sealed space, with bloodshed that broke through the bottom line of human morality, Han Xizai's brain seemed to have overloaded. The muscles of his face twitched unconsciously, and he could not have spoken a word.

The interrogator, seeing him silent, shook his head with some disappointment. "This one remembers now — the Drafter of Edicts is a man who reads the books of the sages, and surely disdains to speak much with one such as myself.

Then I shall not ask. Tomorrow this one will personally cut open this man's chest and belly and examine his five viscera and inner bowels.

Then I will find the remaining bandits and repeatedly test human blood, chicken blood, dog blood, and rabbit blood. A result will always be obtained. It is only a pity the bandits are too few — not enough to use!"

As he spoke, the interrogator regretfully made a light cutting motion through the air toward Han Xizai's belly.

Han Xizai instantly felt his rear passage clench, as if about to burst forth; a sudden chill shot across his belly, and a heaven-and-earth-overturning pain came from his five viscera and six bowels, as if his belly had already been cut open.

Li Xiaojie at the door, seeing Han Xizai's state, hurriedly walked in. If the fright went any further, something would likely go wrong — they must not scare the man insane.

Watching Han Xizai being carried out, chair and all, Li Xiaojie gave the interrogator a satisfied thumbs-up.

"Eighteenth Young Lord, what skill! Not only is your medicine refined, but in frightening people you are also first-rate."

This interrogator was a clan nephew of Zhang Zhao, the eighteenth in his generation, and so was called Eighteenth Young Lord.

Eighteenth Young Lord gave Li Xiaojie a strange look, regarding him with those somewhat turbid eyes of his, and said oddly:

"Who says I was frightening him? I would ask the Deputy Commander to have the blades this one requires forged as quickly as possible. Tomorrow I shall begin the dissection.

Also! Summon all the coroners from the prefectures along the river. Among these men, perhaps someone knows some wondrous art of dissection."

At that moment, the bandit who had fallen unconscious from the intense pain slowly came to, heard Eighteenth Young Lord's words, let out another shriek, and passed out again.

Li Xiaojie suddenly felt a chill. He looked at Shiba Lang, whose face seemed to have lost all human emotion, and shuddered violently. Without even cupping his hands in salute, he said, "I'll see it done as quickly as possible," and immediately ran out.

As he ran, he said to the two chiliarchs beside him, "That man is no fucking human. I'll take the lead, and you two come with me to report to the Commander, the Marquis. We need to cut the Fengyao Bureau out of our Embroidered Guard.

What we need are interrogation experts, not ghosts and demons who've lost all human feeling. I suspect that one day, when he has no one left to disembowel, he'll slice me open with one stroke."

The two chiliarchs nodded like chicks pecking at grain, agreeing in unison.

Meanwhile, Sun Cheng, on the other side, was watching the torture of the tiger bench.

The agony of this punishment lay in pressing a man's legs to the absolute limit. The pain was not momentary but a sustained, immense suffering.

Sun Cheng, however, was a man of broad experience. Though his spirit wavered, his bearing did not collapse, and with a pale face he still managed to ask the executioner,

"In years past, in the Eastern Capital, I saw yabing guards hack a man into mincemeat. Can this pain compare to the pain of being hacked into mincemeat?"

Unexpectedly, before the executioner could answer, the bandit under torture could bear it no longer. He shrieked piercingly, tears streaming down his contorted cheeks in a rushing flow.

"Being hacked into mincemeat hurts only for a moment. This pain endures forever. How could being hacked into mincemeat compare?"

Sun Cheng's face went pale, and from then on he said no more.

Later that evening, Zhang Liecheng personally brought the two men to a secret chamber, laid out a banquet once more, and carefully tried to persuade them.

"My father, the Shaoming Emperor, inherits the virtue of the Tang above and follows the will of the people below.

In the great chaos at the end of the Qin, beacons of war rose everywhere, and so Emperor Gaozu of Han gathered the four quarters into his grasp.

In the Disturbance of the Eight Princes of Jin, the realm was likewise thrown into turmoil, with north and south divided for four hundred years. Thus first Emperor Wen of Sui briefly united the six directions, and then the Great Dynasty unified China and revived Huaxia.

Now, since the Yan rebels threw China into chaos, two hundred years have passed. The time is exactly right for my father, the Shaoming Emperor, to unite the six directions. Do you two not wish to join in this grand endeavor and work for the welfare of all the people under heaven?

When that time comes, not only will you yourselves enjoy high office, rich emoluments, and a name recorded in history, but even your lord Li Jing will receive the blessed fate of Emperor Huai of Han.

Though the Son of Heaven in his great anger has cast you two into prison, if you can abandon darkness and turn to the light, and tell us everything about the strengths and weaknesses of Jiangning, you can be freed from your cells and become honored guests of our Great Zhou."

The two men listened in silence. Han Xizai's heart had already collapsed, but to sell his lord for glory was something he absolutely could not do.

He was about to answer Zhang Liecheng when Sun Cheng slammed the table and rose, boiling with fury.

For Zhang Liecheng's intimidation and threats, and his use of hunger to pressure them, had made Sun Cheng recall the misdeeds of the Five Dynasties in the Central Plains. At this moment, the fire of rage in his heart had been lit, and he could no longer hold it in.

"The Shaoming Emperor detaining envoys is not righteous! Forcing ministers to betray their sovereign is not loyal! Already holding the Eastern Capital of Yangzhou, yet still scheming to break Jiangling, causing the people to suffer untold misery — that is not benevolent!

If one wishes to set the six directions in order and unify the realm, yet does not practice loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness, then even if one seizes the sacred vessel, it will be no more than a fleeting bloom, like the tyranny of Qin.

We two are ministers of Jiangnan, and we will never betray the lord of Jiangnan."

Zhang Liecheng was enraged to the extreme. He gave a cold laugh, then flicked his sleeves and left.

Zhang Zhao was waiting for him not far from this secret chamber. He watched Zhang Liecheng leave, his face flushed red with anger, but Zhang Zhao did not care in the slightest.

Even if Sun Chen and Han Xizai had been willing to surrender, Zhang Zhao would not have wanted them now.

Because although Sun Chen had a reputation for loyalty and righteousness, his actual ability was not strong.

He was a loyal minister — loyal enough, cautious by nature, able to keep secrets, and capable of carrying out a sovereign's tasks with flawless precision.

With that level of ability, he would be qualified to serve under Zhang Zhao as Defender of the Western Capital Chengtian Prefecture (Liangzhou) or Defender of Chang'an in Jingzhao Prefecture. The rules in those two places were already established; loyalty and caution alone would suffice.

But to place him as chancellor of the Southern Tang, facing such a complex situation — Sun Cheng would certainly make a mess of things.

As for Han Xizai, though he was talented, his historical wildness and dissipation came from the Southern Tang being suppressed by the Northern Song, with the state doomed to have no future, so Han Xizai had somewhat given up on himself.

But even if he had not given up on himself, this man had no shortage of flaws.

He was forceful in character, fond of quarreling with others, and addicted to luxury.

If these three traits were paired with outstanding ability, he would be a capable minister in times of order and a formidable warlord in times of chaos, like Cao Cao.

Or like Zhang Juzheng, a minister for the ages who propped up a collapsing edifice and turned back a raging tide.

Unfortunately, Han Xizai's ability fell far short of his temper. A grand minister of the Southern Tang, he ended up living as a discount version of Liu Yong.

Therefore, this man would not even be fully qualified as a peacetime chancellor. As a ruler, however, he could be a competent conservator of an established realm.

So since both men's talents were merely mediocre, and Zhang Zhao did not wish to recruit them, nor did he intend to obtain intelligence about Jiangnan through them, why treat them this way?

In truth, it was for two considerations.

First, Zhang Zhao wanted to stage a grand spectacle for his subordinates.

Since his time in Anxi, Sage Zhang had been instilling loyalty and righteousness in his followers, but up to this moment, there had been few examples to point to, and many people doubted whether the loyal ministers in the history books were real.

So Zhang Zhao needed to find a few models of loyalty. As it happened, the wife of Huangfu Yu had already been found, and Liang Hanzhang's third son had unfortunately died in battle at Chuzhou — perfect material for teaching the ministers of Zhou a lesson.

Second, Zhang Zhao wanted Li Jing to believe that these two men were talents of earth-shaking, heaven-spanning ability, men whom even the Lord of Zhou desired to possess.

And if they had such great talent and yet remained so loyal and unyielding, then after being sent back, Li Jing would certainly employ them with even greater trust.

In this way, he could first lead Li Jing astray, making him mistakenly believe the two were prodigies and entrust the affairs of state entirely to them, and second, he could break the political balance of the Southern Tang court.

For the Southern Tang court was divided between two factions: Sun Cheng and Han Xizai formed one faction, and Feng Yanji and Zha Wenhui formed the other.

If these two gained ascendancy, then men like Feng Yanji and Zha Wenhui — who bore the reputation of petty schemers but were in fact highly capable members of the great local clans of Jiangnan — would likely have no choice but to throw in their lot with Zhang Zhao.

Sage Zhang saw clearly that after Jiangnan was taken, the work of disciplining the great clans of Jiangnan and equalizing land throughout the realm would have to be done by men like Feng Yanji. People of Sun Cheng's and Han Xizai's character and background simply could not do it.

So when Zhang Liecheng and the assembled ministers and adopted sons were beside themselves with rage, Zhang Zhao maintained an attitude of utter indifference, as if he had been spat on and simply let it dry. He patted Zhang Liecheng on the shoulder.

"Execute the final step."

At the foot of Jilong Mountain in Hezhou, not far away flowed the Yangtze. The mountain was not tall, but in the flat expanse of Hezhou, it gave one the feeling of viewing all lesser peaks from the summit.

Sun Cheng, Han Xizai, and the more than one hundred officials of their embassy retinue, down to the clerks and laborers, were all shoved and jostled by the Zhou soldiers to the foot of Jilong Mountain.

Zhang Liecheng sat astride a tall warhorse, glaring at them viciously, holding in his hand a scroll of ochre-yellow brocade.

"Sun Cheng, Han Xizai — the Sage has sent me to ask you one more time: are you willing to divulge the situation in Jiangning?"

Han Xizai trembled faintly all over and said no more. Sun Cheng's fury surged, and he stiffened his neck, refusing to bow his head.

After a long while, Zhang Liecheng seemed to grow impatient. His expression gradually darkened, and he waved his hand.

Two executioners in red robes, carrying strange thick-backed great swords, stepped forward. This appearance had been specially designed by Zhang Zhao — even the shape of the blades.

"By imperial decree: Sun Cheng and Han Xizai, in their insolence and defiance of their superiors, are to be executed immediately. The embassy retinue shall be put to death along with them!"

The moment Zhang Liecheng's words fell, the more than one hundred members of the Southern Tang embassy burst into weeping all at once.

Sun Cheng showed no fear at all. He shook off the soldiers holding him, straightened his robes and cap, and bowed again and again toward the east. "Your servant will repay the state with death!"

Han Xizai was trembling all over, but he still threw himself to the ground and, imitating Sun Cheng, cried out in a mournful voice.

"Han Xizai of Beihai, Drafter of Edicts of the Great Tang, dies for the state this day!"

Several of the envoy officials, knowing death was unavoidable, also began straightening their robes and caps.

Li Bian and his son Li Jing had promoted culture and education, building academies all across the land. Other results had yet to show, but they had indeed cultivated a few loyal and righteous ministers.

The civil and military officials of the Zhou state gathered around had come to watch the spectacle with a touch of anger — these Southern Wu people were so ungrateful, they deserved to be beheaded.

But now, the Southern Tang envoy party — Sun Cheng, Han Xizai, and more than twenty others below them — straightened their robes and caps, speaking of repaying the state (or their lord) with death. They faced death with composure, and in an instant the hearts of the Zhou civil and military officials were no longer so at ease.

Among those who felt it most keenly were Huangfu Yu's nephew Huangfu Chong and Wang Qing's son Wang Shoujun.

Both were serving at the front at this time, and together they rushed out and shouted to Zhang Liecheng.

"We have heard that a sage ruler and enlightened lord does not kill loyal and righteous ministers. We beg the Commander to report to the Sage and spare them!"

This role had originally been meant for Murong Xinzhang to play, but unexpectedly, someone had come forward ahead of time.

Once Huangfu Chong and Wang Shoujun spoke up, Bai Congxin, Li Cunhui, and dozens of other civil and military officials all came forward to plead as well. Zhang Liecheng could only nod and gallop off to seek Zhang Zhao's instructions.

Before long, Zhang Zhao arrived at the execution ground. Everyone knelt together, and Bai Congxin stepped forward as their spokesman.

"These two are nothing more than short-sighted scholars. Killing them would harm the Sage's reputation. Better to pardon them, to display the Sage's virtue."

Zhang Zhao did not answer, but looked at Sun Cheng and Han Xizai. "Would you two rather die than tell me the truth about Jiangning?"

Han Xizai keenly sensed the shift in Zhang Zhao's attitude. Fearing Sun Cheng would speak harshly again and anger Zhang Zhao, he rushed to answer first.

"We eat our lord's salary and serve our lord's cause. How could we betray our master for wealth and glory?"

Sun Cheng was no fool either. He looked at Zhang Zhao and cried out, "Neither riches nor honors can corrupt, neither power nor force can bend — this is what the ancient sages extolled, and it is also my wish!"

Zhang Zhao sighed deeply. "Truly loyal ministers! I imagine this is how Grand Preceptor Huangfu, the Duke of Ming, the Duke of Ying, and the Duke of Taiyuan Commandery looked when they died rather than submit to the Khitan.

Just now I heard from Zhang Xibao's report that the remains of the Duke of Ming and his two thousand soldiers have been recovered, and the wife of Grand Preceptor Huangfu has also been found.

Wang Shoujun, come and see — is this the thumb ring your father used?"

Zhang Zhao produced a thumb ring that had just been delivered by the Brocade Guard. Wang Shoujun came forward at these words, took the ring, and tears streamed down his face.

"In reply to the Sage, this is indeed my father's keepsake."

Then, a group of palace attendants escorted an old woman forward. She was dressed as a Buddhist nun.

It turned out that Huangfu Yu's principal wife, Lady Huo, upon hearing that Huangfu Yu had taken his own life for the state, had renounced the world and become a nun — in a small temple in her hometown of Caizhou, no less. No wonder she had been so hard to find.

Huangfu Chong knelt prostrate on the ground and said to Zhang Zhao in a grief-stricken voice, "In reply to the Sage, this is my uncle's wife!"

Zhang Zhao helped Wang and Huangfu to their feet, then looked at Sun Cheng and Han Xizai with pride.

"The southern state has loyal ministers, and my northern state has righteous men as well. When the realm is unified in days to come, loyal ministers and righteous men shall no longer be divided into north and south, nor shall they serve separatist lords.

You two pride yourselves on loyalty and righteousness, but it is a pity that Li Jing lacks the grand ambition to end this age of chaos and bring peace and stability to the people of the realm.

That grand ambition — not only does Li Jing lack it, Liu Zhiyuan lacks it too. Gao Conghui, Ma Xifan, and Meng Chang will never have it either. In all the realm, I alone possess it.

A lord who cherishes the realm does not kill loyal ministers and righteous men. Therefore, today I will not kill you."

The moment Zhang Zhao's words fell, thunderous cheers erupted below Chicken Cage Mountain. On all sides the crowd roared "Long live the Sage!" Even Sun Cheng and Han Xizai, snatched from the jaws of death, prostrated themselves.

Thereupon, at the foot of Chicken Cage Mountain, Zhang Zhao posthumously enfeoffed Huangfu Yu as Prince of Song, enfeoffed Huangfu Yu's wife Lady Huo as Lady of the State of Song, bestowed upon her purple robes, ordered a temple built in Zhengding to commemorate Huangfu Yu, and granted Lady Huo the dharma name Zhenfan.

He also posthumously enfeoffed Wang Qing as Prince of Wu'an Commandery, Liang Hanzhang as Prince of Yanmen Commandery, and Guo Lin as Duke of Bing.

Additionally, he bestowed fifty bolts of brocade upon Sun Cheng, forty bolts upon Han Xizai, and twenty bolts upon each member of the envoy party as consolation.

Having passed through great death and great life, great sorrow and great joy, the two men were sensible enough to come forward and offer their thanks.

Zhang Zhao also gave them a special admonition: "Since you two are determined to be loyal ministers, in the future you should warn your lord not to stir up trouble like the affairs of Song and Xu prefectures again."

Sun and Han repeatedly assured him that they would certainly do their utmost to remonstrate with Li Jing.

Once this performance was complete, Zhang Zhao's "chief secretary" Li Fang stepped forward to offer congratulations: "The Sage's magnanimity is rarely seen in this world. Even the enlightened rulers of antiquity were no better than this. Your servant is moved and wishes to offer a poem in celebration."

With that, Li Fang recited aloud the verses he had long prepared. And with Li Fang taking the lead, civil officials of every stripe came forward one after another to present poems.

Of course, all of this was to set the stage for the "famous poem" by Sage Zhang.

Zhang Zhao was at once seized by poetic inspiration and left behind a celebrated piece by Lu You.

"Men of resolve look up to the ancients; loyal ministers stand forth with rare integrity.

They go to their deaths in a fitting place; the sun and sky themselves lose their light.

Who does not know the great righteousness? Yet when the crisis comes, few decide firmly.

I think of Gaoqing's hair, worthy to match Ji Shao's blood."

When the poem was done, amid the thunderous flattery of the multitude, Zhang Zhao said with deep feeling: "Yan Gaoqing and Ji Shao were both great loyal ministers, but what they served was the greater loyalty — true loyalty to the true Son of Heaven of the Central Plains.

I offer this poem to encourage all under heaven, in the hope that loyal ministers and righteous men everywhere will come and join me in this grand endeavor, to revive the great dynasty once more."

This was the point of Zhang Zhao's borrowed poem. In the cultured land of the Southern Tang, nothing spread faster or farther than poetry and prose.

Zhang Zhao wanted the whole realm to know: rather than serve the various separatist lords, better to come serve him, the true Son of Heaven of the Central Plains.

At this time, the Southern Tang envoy, the Emperor's Younger Brother Li Jingsui, also crossed the river from Caishi Jetty.

Zhang Zhao immediately dragged this useful tool of a man to Chicken Cage Mountain and, pointing at Sun Cheng and Han Xizai, said to him.

"That your brothers have been able to hold onto the family estate is entirely due to the merit of these two men!"

And once Li Jingsui arrived, it marked the effective end of the war between Zhou and Tang — peace talks could begin at once.

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