Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 316 This is not my honor alone, but the shared glory of all my brothers!

A fierce struggle ensued...

Su Wu looked at Liu Guangshi and asked, "Since you've guessed about the struggle, why don't you tell me first..."

Liu Guangshi didn't mince words and simply said, "Brother, at this moment, the Emperor should be holding absolute power in the capital, but there's a variable..."

"Are you talking about me?" Su Wu asked.

Liu Guangshi nodded: "If it weren't for this variable, Emperor Xu wouldn't have been able to think of anything, and the outcome would have been irreversible. But precisely because of this variable, the Emperor Xu... inevitably has hope, and the Emperor will still have reservations. This time, brother, you're already standing on thin ice... If you don't handle it properly, I'm afraid..."

“That makes sense, tell me more…” Su Wu nodded slowly.

"I dare not say anything more, nor can I give a proper answer. I will only wait for you to decide, brother. Once you decide, I will support you wholeheartedly!" Liu Guangshi looked at Su Wu again.

Su Wu nodded: "Let's deal with the Jurchen situation first. We'll talk about the future later..."

Su Wu gave a perfunctory reply, but he had already thought about these things in his heart long ago.

If you really ask Su Wu who he wants to support, he actually doesn't have any particular opinion; it doesn't matter who it is.

However, there is one point: Su Wu himself wanted to control the power in his hands. In fact, the current situation was something he could ignore. Why?

The emperor would never kill his father. Even if his father fell ill or suffered pain in the future, the emperor would gather a large group of people to testify that he was truly ill and that the emperor had not harmed him...

That's how society was in the Song Dynasty. The emperor could imprison his father, but he would never dare to do anything so treasonous.

As long as Zhao Ji lives, Zhao Huan will always be wary of Su Wu, and will not dare to truly offend Su Wu, much less push Su Wu too far.

Therefore, Zhao Huan would be more inclined to win over Su Wu and treat him better!
If Zhao Huan really dared to attack Su Wu, and really pushed Su Wu to the brink, Su Wu, with an army of 30,000 to 50,000, or even several thousand or several hundred, could reach Tokyo and storm into the imperial city. Who in Tokyo could stop him?
With Zhao Ji as his representative, how could Zhao Huan not follow the tide of events?

So, this isn't about taking sides!
Liu Guangshi clearly hadn't thought of this yet, but Su Wu himself had already grasped it perfectly.

First, drive away the Jurchens in front of us. If Su Wu truly destroys the Dangxiang Kingdom, lifts the siege of Tokyo, and then recovers the Yan and Yun regions of Hebei, shouldn't he be rewarded even more for this achievement?
Su Wu wants to take charge of the Yan and Yun regions. Should this matter be reported to Tokyo?
Su Wu is to arrange the appointment and removal of some officials in the Yan-Yun region and even Hedong. Is this a good or bad thing?

If things are easy to discuss, then Su Wu will not go to the capital. If things are hard to say, then let the people of Dongjing (Kaifeng) guess whether Su Wu will go to the capital or not...

The internal strife within the Zhao family must not be quelled directly by intervention.

This situation is the most advantageous for Su Wu.

Furthermore, Su Wu earned his reputation for loyalty and integrity by not interfering. If Su Wu had intervened without any apparent reason, he would inevitably have been criticized. If he had helped Zhao Huan, some people would have called him an ingrate or something similar...

If they helped Zhao Ji, then Zhao Ji's position was clearly illegitimate. Su Wu had done many rebellious things, and many upright officials had long been fed up with Zhao Ji's actions over the past twenty years and did not want to see him regain power...

Of course, these are also people who still have some expectations for the new emperor, always thinking that it would be better to change the person. Only when the new emperor actually does something will everyone realize that he is not a virtuous ruler at all.

By refusing to help anyone and focusing solely on resisting the powerful enemy, Su Wu's actions actually served the interests of many.

Su Wu had already thought things through far too thoroughly; he needed to proceed cautiously. What did he need to be cautious about? To truly conquer the Yan and Yun regions, to thoroughly manage the Hedong region, to unite the people's hearts, and to further expand, reorganize, and train the army…

Even now, Su Wu has set his sights on the various units of the Western Army.

The Western Army is a problem; they are a bunch of disorganized groups, and the hearts of the people are unpredictable. No matter what the situation is now, Su Wu cannot truly guarantee that all the Northwest armies will follow his lead. After all, the future is far too important.

It's just right. Now that the Western Xia has been destroyed, there are no more enemies in the Northwest. The various tribes in the Northwest should be transferred where necessary, reorganized where necessary, and some that should be disbanded can also be disbanded. Of course, if they are disbanded, Su Wu will be given a good job.

For example, supervising the land reclamation in Yanyun! Yanyun needs many low-level officials because the land in the northwest now belongs to... the imperial court!
The people of Yan and Yun came to cultivate the land, and Su Wu needed a large number of trusted men to manage it.

Su Wu also wanted to reorganize the defenses of Yan and Yun, which was actually a legitimate way to expand the army. The Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun were also border battlefields, so it was necessary to have a strong army stationed there to fight against the Jurchens at any time.

One hundred thousand troops is a reasonable number, just like when Hebei was the border between Liao and Song, the number of troops stationed there was around two hundred thousand.

The Jingdong Army and the Xijun Army are being transferred here. This kind of transfer is like direct immigration, with entire families immigrating. It's perfect, as Yanyun has suffered significant population losses.

The land in Yanyun is much richer than that in the Northwest. The land in the Northwest is extremely barren, but the land in Yanyun is different. It is located within the North China Plain. If Prime Minister Su is willing to give the land, of course, it is nominally a lease, but a contract can be signed. The lease can be for thirty, fifty, seventy or eighty years, with a tax of one-tenth and no additional taxes. That's how the lease is done.

Many soldiers from the Northwest were willing to bring their families, and Su Wu was also willing to pay them. Thus, on the one hand, he was replenishing the population of Yan and Yun, and on the other hand, Su Wu was disintegrating the Northwest armies and expanding his own strength.

Of course, Su Wu welcomed all the Northwest Army generals who were willing to come and gave them important positions, as they were all his own people. If they didn't want to come, they could go back.

Furthermore, the Hebei army will need to be significantly reduced. Where will the troops go after the reductions? They will come to Yan and Yun to farm for Prime Minister Su. Prime Minister Su has plenty of land, which of course belongs to the imperial court.

If Prime Minister Su does not exploit or levy exorbitant taxes, and even provides resettlement funds, then this matter will not be difficult.

It's also easy to talk about JD.com. JD.com already has too many people. It would be better to relocate some of them. Even those military personnel, many of whom are now very wealthy, spend all their money on JD.com. In fact, the market pressure is enormous. Spending their money in Yanyun will also alleviate the financial pressure on JD.com.

As long as you follow Master Su, life will be good!
This series of matters still needs to be handled by Su Wu slowly. Of course, Su Wu has thought it through and planned it out in advance, and it is just waiting to be implemented.

As for Hedong, it was also a battlefield and the front line against the Jurchens. Militarily, as long as it was in control, many things would be easier to discuss.

In any case, we must first control Zhao Huan, build high walls, stockpile grain, and delay declaring ourselves king.

As for those scoundrels in the capital, whether they follow Zhao Ji or Zhao Huan, the more they act, the more interesting it becomes; if they don't act, they're just difficult to deal with.

As for why they would definitely do it? How could they willingly let Su Wu control them? How could they not fight back with all their might?

How could Su Wu, such a loyal and righteous minister who was devoted to his country, not be framed and attacked by those treacherous people?
The strategy is already in mind; we just need to proceed step by step!

Before us are still the Jurchens. In just two or three days, the Jurchens will begin preparing to attack Xiongzhou City.

They marched out in a grand and imposing array, 50,000 Jurchens on horseback, more than 20,000 dismounted, wearing heavy armor again and again. These fierce and valiant Jurchens were truly going all out.

Su Wu watched from afar...

Before the siege, there was a small incident in the Jurchen army.

Wanyan Zongwang brought Prince Su, Zhao Shu, and Chancellor Zhang Bangchang, as hostages to the army, wanting them to truly witness warfare.

As soon as the drums sounded, the Jurchens went up to the city wall themselves, while Yelü Yudu and his ilk watched from the sidelines, keeping their heads down and not daring to look or say anything more...

Wanyan Zongwang clearly had a lot of opinions about Yelü Yudu, mainly because Yelü Yudu was unwilling to risk his life! Even if Yelü Yudu did risk his life, in Wanyan Zongwang's eyes, he was still not willing to risk his life.

Yelü Yudu also knew that he might be in danger!
This feeling is true. Wanyan Zongwang is naturally enduring it, waiting for this matter to be over before Yelü Yudu's life is near. The reason is simple: now, there is no use in keeping Yelü Yudu around, and he still has to be on guard against, so it is better not to keep him.

Although Yelü Yudu sensed some danger, he still harbored a sense of hope. He believed he was still useful, and he also thought his troops were a reliable force. He believed that if he died, chaos would break out, and the Jurchens would be unable to control him.

The drums were beating, and the fierce Jurchens began their personal attack on the city. Needless to say, they rushed forward one after another in a frenzy.

Yue Fei was already on the city wall, directing the defense from all sides.

This was also Yue Fei's first time commanding a city defense battle. Wasn't this also a new lesson Su Wu was teaching Yue Fei? The goal was to give Yue Fei experience in all kinds of battlefield situations so that he could take charge on his own in the future.

In the coming decades, at least thirty or forty years, and at most forty or fifty years, Su Wu could not go to every battle by himself. Therefore, he needed a loyal and capable general who could make a reliable move. In this era, who else could there be besides Yue Fei?
We are nurturing them, and we are doing everything we can to cultivate them!
Mountains of corpses and seas of blood were already before our eyes; the cruelty and gore of the battlefield need no further elaboration…

Prince Zhao Shu stood on the platform, not daring to look any further. Chancellor Zhang Bangchang was also pale-faced, bowing his head and remaining silent, his legs even trembling slightly.

Wanyan Zongwang could see it, so he beckoned over: "Prime Minister Zhang..."

Zhang Bangchang was very honest, and quickly stepped forward and bowed: "Yes..."

"Over there, your Song man Su Wu is right there. Several times, but he dares not come closer. He just watches us attack the city. Why is that?" Wanyan Zongwang asked.

Zhang Bangchang subconsciously turned his head to look, but he couldn't see anything clearly. He could only see a dark mass of people standing at the far end of his field of vision.

Zhang Bangchang didn't answer, which showed that he still had some backbone; he didn't want to say that Su Wu was cowardly and weak.

Wanyan Zongwang didn't put him in a difficult position and raised his hand again, beckoning, "Your Highness!"

“Yes, yes, yes…” Zhao Shu hurriedly stepped forward and bowed several times.

"Why do you think that is?" Wanyan Zongwang asked again.

Zhao Shu quickly replied, "It is Your Highness's army that is mighty and invincible. Su Wu is weak and dares not provoke the tiger!"

Upon hearing this, Wanyan Zongwang laughed heartily: "Your Highness is indeed insightful. Why don't you send a letter to Su Wu, instructing him to clear the way, so that fewer of your Song people will die? What do you say?"

"Of course, of course!" Zhao Shu nodded repeatedly.

Wanyan Zongwang was very pleased and nodded. Suddenly, his expression turned serious, and he said, "Write it now. Once the letter is written, I will send someone to deliver it, along with Prime Minister Zhang's head!"

Wanyan Zongwang was still threatening Su Wu, still thinking that a prince should be very important. No matter which country, how could a prince not be important?
The Jurchens maintained this concept for a long time. It wasn't until their second invasion of the Song Dynasty that the Jurchens changed their mind. In the second invasion, they didn't want princes as hostages; they directly demanded the emperor.

Killing Zhang Bangchang was a threat to Su Wu, a warning: Do you want the prince's life? As a Song general, how dare you stand by and watch the prince die?
Upon hearing this, Zhang Bangchang suddenly knelt on the ground, all the backbone he had just displayed vanishing. He hurriedly said, "Your Highness, spare my life! I am willing to persuade Su Wu on Your Highness's behalf! I am willing to go and persuade him!"

"I think you're trying to run away!" Who was Wanyan Zongwang?
“I am also willing to write a letter to persuade Su Wu to give way, so that our two countries can form a lasting alliance!” Zhang Bangchang said repeatedly.

"Will he listen to you?" Wanyan Zongwang asked.

“If he… if he doesn’t listen to me, Your Highness can kill him then!” Zhang Bangchang seemed to have some hope. Although he and Su Wu didn’t have much of a relationship in the past, since Su Wu didn’t dare to fight, there was still room for maneuver, especially since two lives were here.

"Alright, I'll keep you for now, you write too!" Wanyan Zongwang tried every possible way to get things done, he was willing to try anything.

Looking at the Song army on the city wall, the Song army today is truly different from the Song army that came before!

The Jurchens, fierce and valiant, swarmed forward, but also suffered heavy losses. Heavy losses are normal in siege battles; it was the same when they fought the Liao people in the past.

But at that time, filled with hatred, we didn't know the future success or failure, or even whether we would live or die. The losses were heavy, so we fought with our lives, hoping to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

But things are different now. Now we have seen the moon, and our great revenge has been achieved. We are thinking about the future of the country.

Wanyan Zongwang's worries grew more and more...

It's not that the city can't be taken, it's that the Song soldiers on the city walls are truly not retreating. Continuing to fight like this is painful; we can't bear to give up...

Two letters were sent to Su Wu in person.

Su Wu frowned repeatedly after reading the letter. It was all begging. Zhao Shu was begging, and Zhang Bangchang was begging, all asking Su Wu to save their lives.

Su Wu replied, and after a few words, he left, asking only whether the lives of the two men were more important than the lives of hundreds of thousands of young and strong people.
I ask you both again, did you see the soldiers bravely facing death on the city wall? What harm is there in death for loyal and righteous ministers? To sacrifice oneself for one's country is a worthy death!

Here are a few more words of encouragement: Even when trapped in enemy territory, one must remain loyal and righteous, not be frightened by barbarians, not lose the integrity of the descendants of the Zhao family, and not lose the virtues taught by sages!
After replying, Su Wu carefully folded and preserved Zhao Shu's letter, promising that one day, the fearful pleas of Zhao's descendants could be made public...

Let the whole world see what the Zhao family has become...

Looking over there, the Jurchens sounded the retreat. This didn't mean they were giving up; it was common practice during sieges. If the defending army was large and capable, it was rare to win in a single battle. They would simply wait until the next day, when the Jurchens adjusted their strategy, and then launch another attack!
After three days of continuous fighting, Xiongzhou was still not captured.

Zhang Bangchang's head was indeed delivered to Su Wu.

Su Wu also sighed. Zhang Bangchang in history was destined to be an emperor. Under the coercion of the Jurchens, he briefly served as the emperor of the Great Chu! He betrayed the interests of the country and the nation countless times and was eventually forced to commit suicide.

Unexpectedly, at this moment, fate has intervened, and Zhang Bangchang died so simply...

On the fourth day, the Jurchens prepared food at dawn and attacked again at daybreak. Xiongzhou City fell, and when they rushed up, they found the huge city completely deserted!
Clearly, the city of Xiongzhou was also nearing its breaking point. At this critical juncture, Yue Fei followed Su Wu's strategy, retreating to make way for the enemy, allowing the Yan-Yun region to resume its advance…

It was somewhat of a lucky accident...

When Wanyan Zongwang learned that Xiongzhou City was empty and that the Song soldiers who had fought to the death yesterday had all left, he was overjoyed. Inside the military tent, he kept saying, "It seems that the Song princes are still of some use."

It wasn't that Wanyan Zongwang was naive, but rather that it was too coincidental. Just yesterday, he sent Zhang Bangchang's head to threaten Zhao Shu, and today, Xiongzhou City opened up.

This wasn't even Su Wu's plan, but it just happened by chance.

Wanyan Zonghan was overjoyed: "So Su Wu knows how powerful he is now!"

Zhao Shu was also present, and he was stunned. Why did things suddenly turn out this way? Could it be that his elder brother... the Emperor had spoken to protect his life?

Looking back, it makes sense. He sacrificed his life for the country, leaving the city as a hostage. He deserves this treatment. How could we really let him die at the hands of barbarians? How could the emperor face the people of the world then?

Thinking of this, Zhao Shu felt relieved and overjoyed. Just moments before, he had witnessed Zhang Bangchang being beheaded, which had left him completely terrified. Now that he was suddenly out of danger, he was overjoyed.

Wanyan Zonghan also came to see Zhao Shu and said, "You're actually quite useful!"

Zhao Shu nodded and smiled apologetically...

Wanyan Zongwang simply waved his hand and said, "No stopping, just hurry through Xiongzhou. All departments must speed up their pace and not delay!"

The tightly packed queue slowly began to unfold again, forming a long dragon as they hurried through Xiongzhou City to get into Yanyun.

Su Wu met with Yue Fei and then followed him!
They were just waiting for the scouts to report on the situation of the Jurchen ranks, saying that the Jurchen ranks had suddenly spread out considerably, with many gaps and their pace was faster, with many disjointed sections.

Su Wu was also puzzled: "Why are the Jurchens suddenly no longer afraid of me?"

Yue Fei also had doubts: "Could this be a trap?"

"Let's investigate again!" Su Wu waved his hand, feeling somewhat uneasy. The Jurchens' combat skills were beyond question, but Su Wu was still worried and said, "I'll go see for myself!"

Su Wu then personally rode off to investigate...

After observing several times and conducting reconnaissance, it was indeed true! The Jurchens were indeed moving faster and faster, revealing more and more flaws...

What are you waiting for?
They'll turn back, come back in a moment, and charge again. Su Wu in the west, Yue Fei in the east, attacking from both sides!
They charged forward without hesitation, and the harvest was enormous. At least 40,000 to 50,000 able-bodied men broke away from the group, and countless vehicles were intercepted.

Wanyan Zongwang and Wanyan Zonghan personally led cavalry to catch up.

Upon arriving at the scene, Wanyan Zongwang's face was ashen, and he remained silent.

Wanyan Zonghan cursed, "The Song people are cunning, that prince is cunning, and Su Wu is even more cunning!"

This is a misjudgment of Su Wu's mind. Su Wu was also completely confused, thinking that the Jurchens had simply become lax in their work.

Wanyan Zongwang nodded slightly: "Send Zhao Shu's head there as well..."

How could Wanyan Zonghan wait any longer?

Zhao Shu's head was delivered to Su Wu again. Su Wu was not sad. In this situation, the more afraid of death one is, the more cowardly one is, and the more lowly one will die like a blade of grass.

Soldiers can die, civilians can die, and these cowardly descendants of the Zhao family are even more willing to die!

Only Liu Guangshi was somewhat worried: "Brother, won't the Emperor and the ministers blame us for this?"

Su Wu simply replied, "It was the Jurchens who killed him, not you or me!"

Su Wu even had another thought: it's a pity it wasn't the ninth prince, Zhao Gou. If it were the ninth prince, Su Wu would also like to know if he would write a letter to him begging for his life in every possible way!
For some reason, Su Wu suddenly thought of this ninth son. Although he was also a piece of trash, he still had some skills... At least among Zhao Ji's sons, Zhao Gou was indeed a figure of some importance.

Without much thought, Su Wu quickly instructed Liu Guangshi to send people to settle the rescued people and to collect the carts and supplies left behind by the Jurchens that they couldn't take with them. Su Wu continued to follow the Jurchens northward.

As he walked, Su Wu finally received an official document from Yanjing City, delivered personally by Yan Qing.

The Prince of Langya!

Even Su Wu's wife, Cheng Jiyue, was granted a title, rising from Lady of Dong'e County to Lady of Dongping Prefecture!

Before Su Wu could even finish reading the imperial edict, Yan Qing was the first to bow and say, "Congratulations, Uncle! You are now the King of the Great Song Dynasty! Your achievements are unparalleled!"

With just these words, the people around him were initially horrified, but then their faces lit up with smiles.

A large number of people knelt on one knee, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness!"

Even Liu Guangshi knelt on one knee: "Congratulations, brother, on being granted the title of Prince!"

Su Wu put away the official documents and gestured to his left and right: "Get up, everyone. We are all brothers, there is no need for such formalities. My title of Prince is not something I obtained by myself alone. It is thanks to the strong support of all my brothers. It is not my honor alone, but the honor shared by all my brothers!"

Liu Guangshi stood up and stepped forward: "Quickly, brother, let me see!"

Su Wu then handed him the official document, and everyone gathered around to look at it. The title of Prince of the County was unparalleled in the Song Dynasty, at least during his lifetime.

Su Wu said, "If I can get here quickly, your rewards should be on their way. I should also go to Tokyo to submit a memorial to the emperor to request rewards and titles for you brothers. Just like General Liu, who is now the commander-in-chief of the Hebei Road army!"

Only then did everyone learn of the news, and they all went to congratulate Liu Guangshi.

Liu Guangshi quickly replied, "It is only because I followed His Highness the Prince to achieve great things that I have achieved what I have today!"

Looking at everyone, at this moment, who isn't filled with anticipation and expectation?

Why fight wars?
Isn't it all for this moment?

Su Wu said, "Brothers, the war against the Jurchens is not over yet. We should fight bravely and make more contributions. Then, I can count your merits and promote you to higher ranks!"

"Order!"

Someone shouted, "I am willing to die for the Prince!"

"I am willing to die alongside the Prince!"

"Charge against the Jurchens again!" Su Wu waved his hand, ready to go once more.

The Jurchens have begun to shrink their ranks again, and their pace has slowed considerably, but they can still charge forward. Saving even one person is a saving opportunity! They must continue to harass them without stopping, and not allow the Jurchens a moment of peace.

After another charge, they returned. As dusk approached and night fell, the vastness of the world meant they didn't need tents. They simply sat down on the ground beside their horses, and many soldiers, exhausted, fell asleep the moment their feet touched the ground.

Su Wu had other matters to attend to. If he really wanted to write to Tokyo, now was the right time to ask for it.

We demand the appointment and removal of officials in Yanyun, and the power of promotion within the military...

Liu Guangshi, who was standing nearby, also chimed in, "Brother, the Emperor's bestowal of favor may have ulterior motives..."

As Su Wu wrote by the last glimmer of twilight, he also spoke up to reply: "What you're saying... it really puts me in a difficult position. As a subject, how dare I get involved in such matters?"

Liu Guangshi said, "Brother, you can't think like that. We have to make a choice eventually. If you don't, it will only make the emperor more suspicious. And if the emperor's suspicion lingers, it will become uncontrollable..."

Liu Guangshi thought that either they should choose an emperor emeritus and do nothing, or they should definitely choose an emperor. If they dragged their feet like this, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Liu Guangshi was naturally worried about Su Wu, and said, "If brother is unwilling to go to the capital... then this time when you submit a memorial, you must also explain to the emperor your thoughts of loyalty and righteousness!"

Su Wu shook his head: "I won't write this memorial you're talking about!"

"Brother...you must not be ambiguous, or you will surely make a mistake!" Liu Guangshi said urgently.

Su Wu replied, "We are out there, focused on fighting the enemy to the death. Why would we make things difficult for ourselves?"

“I know that you value loyalty and righteousness the most. Even in the past, you were deeply favored by the Emperor Emeritus and the Grand Councilor. Therefore, you are unwilling to do something that would betray loyalty and righteousness. But times have changed. It is fine for you to do this in the army, but it is absolutely unacceptable in the court!”

Liu Guangshi spoke earnestly and urgently.

"I have a clear conscience and can't concern myself with so much. The struggle between the royal Zhao family has nothing to do with us ministers! We ministers should just do what we are supposed to do!" Su Wu was stubborn.

Liu Guangshi was helpless. He knew that his brother valued loyalty the most, and there was nothing he could do about such a person.

We still need to persuade him, but it's no use trying now. We need to find a way to persuade him. Who should we ask? Perhaps we should ask Mr. Xu or Wu Yuhou. They are my brother's most trusted advisors. They understand the pros and cons better and are more eloquent.

After Su Wu finished writing his memorial, he immediately set off for Tokyo to request an official position, and sent out on a fast horse.

Liu Guangshi was even more anxious. If he went to ask for an official position like this and didn't write those words of loyalty and righteousness, the emperor would probably be even more suspicious.

What should we do?
If Su Wu doesn't write it, Liu Guangshi will think about it and decide to write it himself. He can't represent Su Wu, but he can write about how everyone in the army is a loyal and courageous general. Liu Guangshi is also wholeheartedly dedicated to supporting Yulong and dying for his lord!

I only wish that the Emperor and the officials of the court would know that Su Wu's men are mostly loyal and righteous, so that the Emperor and the officials can rest assured...

It is also said that Su Wu fought wholeheartedly for his country, how he led from the front, how he was brave and courageous, all for the sake of his country and its people, and how he taught his soldiers every day to be loyal to the country...

They even had to explain Su Wu's reasons, explaining why he had taken the initiative to ask the court for an official position: the Jurchens were too strong, the Yan and Yun regions were in disarray, without boosting morale, there was no way to fight, and without pacifying the people, it would be impossible to continue...

All of this was done so that the imperial court would have less suspicion and distrust of his own brother!

Liu Guangshi was extremely worried, partly because he was concerned about Su Wu, and partly because Su Wu's fate was tied to the future of everyone in the army!
I'm not afraid of Su Wu choosing to be the retired emperor, nor am I afraid of Su Wu choosing to be the emperor. What I'm afraid of is Su Wu choosing neither, and that one day he might suffer the same fate as Di Qing...

Liu Guangshi also knew that if Su Wu fell, the morale of the army would be completely shattered, and what future would they have to talk about?
Therefore, Su Wu must not fall.

As dawn broke, the Jurchens marched straight towards Zhuozhou. They encountered no obstacles along the way, except for Guo Yaoshi, who guarded the city of Zhuozhou.

Su Wu ate the food bite by bite along the way, while the Jurchens endured it day by day. But even the Jurchens' patience had its limits...

Something big is brewing in Tokyo.

The emperor himself orchestrated the whole affair from behind the scenes, with many people working behind the scenes, including Qin Hui!

Another storm is coming to Tokyo!
(Hey guys, muah!)
(End of this chapter)