Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 317 This son must not be allowed to live; he is truly a presumptuous and rebellious minister!
On this day, in Bianjing city, outside the Donghua Gate.

Hundreds of students from the Imperial Academy gathered here, and a man named Chen Dong raised his arms and shouted: "Today's events are a result of Cai Jing's initial chaos and Liang Shicheng's subsequent conspiracy. Li Yan has incurred wrath in the Northwest, Zhu Mian in the Southeast, and Wang Fu and Tong Guan have incurred wrath in Liao and Jin, creating border conflicts. Zhu Mian died in the chaos of war, and Li Yan died tragically in the Northwest. This is divine retribution! The four traitors should be executed again, and their heads displayed in all directions to appease the world."

Upon hearing this, all the students in the room were filled with righteous indignation, asking, "How could our great country have come to this?"

Yesterday, it was still the Celestial Empire, and every scholar was basking in glory. How has it come to be today, with the northern lands ravaged and Bianjing (Kaifeng) in imminent danger?
Those present were not only students of the Imperial Academy, but also many angry citizens of Bianjing, including sons of high-ranking families and ordinary people. The entire imperial city was completely surrounded.

This national defeat has ignited the anger of the people...

The students and scholars were most indignant and passionate. The wealthy and powerful families, having suffered such heavy losses, also needed to vent their anger and find someone to punish them. The common people harbored deep resentment towards the court, and no matter what, they would not be satisfied unless a few of the former high-ranking officials and nobles died...

Many people still held high hopes, believing that even with a new emperor and new courtiers, the country would surely improve!

It's like the so-called election of the Lord of the Underworld. If a country is not doing well, it's because this group of people is no good. Once a new group of people comes in, the country will be better.

There were also people behind the scenes adding fuel to the fire, and in no time, a storm was brewing!
Public sentiment is outraged, and the people's anger is difficult to quell!

Inside the imperial city, in the grand hall, the emperor looked helpless and worried, asking, "What should we do?"

Many of the ministers were indignant, but they dared not speak out in the past. Now that the new emperor has great power, how could there not be those who dare to speak out?

Qin Hui, the newly appointed censor, stepped forward and said loudly: "Your Majesty, many people have been holding positions without doing their jobs during this period of suffering for the people. Now that the country has turned the tide, it is all thanks to Your Majesty and all of you who are loyal and courageous. How can we not hold those responsible accountable?"

Qin Hui is charging into battle!

"I second the proposal!"

"I second the proposal!"

Voices of agreement rose and fell!
The emperor sighed helplessly: "I am also worried that some people will say that I am a tyrannical ruler... but this time the public opinion is boiling over, and the ministers are speaking out indignation. I... do not know what to do for the time being..."

The emperor had to shift the blame, not for any other reason than to tell Su Wu, "It's not that I wanted to do it this way, it's that I had no choice but to do it this way. The capital city is completely surrounded. This is not my intention; I was merely being coerced..."

Qin Hui then said, "Your Majesty is kind-hearted, but the fate of the nation is unshakeable. This time, the northern lands have suffered a calamity, which is a punishment from Heaven. It is also a blessing from Heaven that another wise ruler will emerge to turn the tide. It is the will of Heaven. How can Your Majesty judge this with personal feelings?"

Censor Sun Di also spoke up: "Your Majesty, if these four traitors are not executed, it will not appease public anger. How can you gain the trust of the people if this is the case?"

"Alas..." The Emperor was deeply distressed. He rose, looked around, and seeing the angry eyes of his many loyal ministers, said helplessly, "How about this... Wang Fu is to be sent out of the capital and demoted to Military Governor of Chongxin Army; Tong Guan is to be sent out of the capital and appointed Deputy Military Governor of Zhaohua Army; Cai Jing is to be sent out of the capital and appointed Deputy Military Governor of Chongxin Army... Liang Shicheng is to be appointed Deputy Military Governor of Zhanghua Army. These four men are to be stripped of all their titles and honors. Let it be so..."

Qin Hui quipped, "Your Majesty possesses the virtue of cherishing life!"

The emperor was in a bad mood and had already gotten up and turned away. But as soon as he left the palace, the helplessness on his face turned into joy.

Geng Nanzhong, who was standing nearby, was also beaming with joy, saying, "In this way, His Majesty's benevolence is fulfilled, and future troubles are eliminated!"

Why do I say this? Do you really think these people can leave the capital safely? They can leave the capital, but none of them will survive the journey!
There are plenty of ways to kill someone!

With these people dead, many things are at least a little more reassuring.

The emperor nodded: "It was you who came up with this brilliant plan!"

Geng Nanzhong replied with a smile, "It is His Majesty's decisiveness that truly shines through!"

This close-knit ruler and his minister even flattered each other.

However, the emperor still had some concerns: "In that case, Su Wu probably won't be able to say anything, right? I have treated Tong Guan well... As for Tong Guan dying in another place in the future, that will be due to public resentment..."

Geng Nanzhong nodded repeatedly: "That's true, Your Majesty. There's no need to worry too much about Su Wu. He's just one person. There are plenty of strong armies in the world. If he has no loyalty to the court, how can he command such a large following? Even within the Jingdong army, if he were to plot a rebellion, I'm afraid few would follow him!"

Geng Nanzhong was truly confident, and his confidence was not unfounded. In the Song Dynasty, when had there ever been a commander who dared to do something so foolish?
The emperor was still worried: "Alas... Now, the Jurchens are still in Yan and Yun in Hebei, and we can only rely on them!"

“Your Majesty, our Great Song Dynasty has now had nine emperors. How did Su Wu rise to such a high position in the army in such a short time? Firstly, Su Wu is truly skilled in battle. Secondly, he was undoubtedly promoted and elevated by Tong Guanzhi. In fact, his foundation is still shallow. If we really want to talk about having a hundred followers, what about Di Qing in the past? Di Qing in the Northwest had a hundred followers when he called upon someone. But what happened after he entered the capital? He died in fear.”

When Geng Nanzhong spoke to Zhao Huan, he was very frank. He seemed to be comforting the emperor, but he was also telling the emperor that he didn't need to take Su Wu too seriously. In doing so, he was also implying that he was trying to exclude Su Wu.

There's also the fear that the emperor might actually have a heart-to-heart talk with Su Wu, which would be truly troublesome.

At this moment, the emperor seemed to be truly relieved. He walked slowly forward, paused for a moment, and then said, "That Qin Hui is indeed quite good. He handled the task effectively this time. And that censor Sun Di is also a loyal and upright man!"

Geng Nanzhong understood and nodded: "Qin Hui can be promoted to Vice Censor-in-Chief. What does Your Majesty think?"

The Imperial Censor was already a core figure in the court, the head of the supervisory system, and held the highest rank of the third grade.

If it were a normal promotion process, Qin Hui would have to wait an unknown amount of time to reach the third rank. But in this chaotic situation, with the old and new generations changing, no one cares about anything else.

The emperor nodded and smiled: "Appropriate!"

The emperor issued an edict, which was sent out of the capital. Although the four traitors were not directly executed, they were all exiled to distant places, which temporarily appeased public anger.

The crowd slowly dispersed, as if they had experienced a great victory from the bottom up. The peddlers and laborers were all overjoyed, as if the country had punished the villains only because they had come to plead their case.

Everyone was extremely pleased with themselves!

The same applies to students of the Imperial Academy!
This is what it means to be loyal to the country, to devote oneself to the cause until death!
The news spread quickly, how could the person involved not hear it?
Cai Jing's carriage hurriedly headed towards Tong Guan's residence.

How could Tong Guan not panic? He paced back and forth in his study, still undecided about some things!

Cai Jing came; he came to help him make a decision!
The two met in secret. After sitting down, there was no small talk, not even tea. Cai Jing spoke up: "Prime Minister... sigh, what's the point of calling him Prime Minister? Brother Daofu, we're both getting on in years. We've experienced ups and downs in the past, but things are different this time!"

Daofu, Tong Guan's courtesy name, has not been used for many years.

Tong Guan nodded in agreement: "How could I not know that this time is different..."

"Then what are you still thinking about? At our age, if we go out of the capital, we'll arrive here today, and tomorrow a new order will come, and we'll be there again. Going around in circles, thousands of miles away, we'll die!"

How Cai Jing used to punish others is how others will punish him in return. Does he not understand this?
However, Cai Jing hadn't calculated everything. He himself died in the same way, but Tong Guan didn't. Tong Guan was pinned to the roadside and beheaded with a single blow. Wang Fu was also killed with a single blow on the roadside, and Liang Shicheng was strangled to death with a rope!
The reason for this wasn't that Cai Jing was a scholar-official and couldn't be killed; it was simply that Cai Jing was really too old and couldn't withstand much more torment before he died.

Wang Fu was young and wouldn't die easily without a sword. Tong Guan, on the other hand, was physically strong and traveled everywhere, yet he was still alive.

Tong Guan nodded in agreement. He could guess how he would be dealt with, but he still hesitated, only saying, "I know, I know..."

"You already know, what are you still thinking about?" Cai Jing was impatient; he knew he couldn't afford to be further tormented!
Once you leave Beijing, there will be no turning back!
"This is of utmost importance..." Tong Guan said, his hands trembling. Why? He was still hesitant. He was a eunuch; he didn't have a wealthy family or any descendants to rely on...

Cai Jing uttered a single sentence: "Ridiculous, ridiculous indeed..."

Tong Guan was puzzled for a moment: "What is so funny?"

"What's so laughable? Tell me, my dear brother Daofu, what did you seek in this life? I know, you sought eternal fame in history, a name that would be etched in the annals of time. You wanted the glory of sealing the wolf's lair, and you have it all, you've been granted the title of Prince of Guangyang, so death doesn't matter. But now? All of that has been taken away. In the future, with a pen in the hand of a scholar, who will remember your merits? Now, in the capital, you are known as a thief, a thief! Or will Su Wu remember your merits in the future? I think Su Wu, in his youth, was oblivious to his own limitations..."

Cai Jing slowed down his speech considerably.

“Su Wu…” Tong Guan sighed.

Cai Jing then continued, "In this life, a person has sins and merits, that's all. It all depends on whether people remember your sins or your merits. Su Wu... you're already this old, how could you not know? If things continue like this, what good days will he have in the future? Still hoping to become prime minister? What a joke..."

These two statements, one about Tong Guan himself, revealed that all his life's pursuits had ultimately come to nothing, perhaps truly striking at Tong Guan's Achilles' heel...

After all that talk about Su Wu, his fate is probably not good either. If Tong Guan doesn't act now, he can't be relied on in the future. Tong Guan's name will inevitably be infamous in history books for ten thousand years!

After all the reasoning had been explained, Tong Guan's brows remained furrowed, and the two fell silent for a moment, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

After a long silence, Tong Guan finally spoke: "We must find a way, no matter what, to see the Emperor Emeritus!"

Cai Jing was suddenly delighted: "Good, good, good, then let's think of a way... This matter may not be difficult. With you and Liang Shicheng, you will surely find a way!"

Tong Guan and Liang Shicheng, needless to say, were both powerful figures in the palace.

“Now, I have no solution, but Liang Shicheng does!” Tong Guan said, showing his certainty that Liang Shicheng had a solution. He added, “There’s no need to actually see the Emperor Emeritus; a letter will suffice!”

Cai Jing had already stood up: "Then what are we waiting for..."

Hurry and go find Liang Shicheng. At this very moment, Liang Shicheng must be at home, filled with fear and anxiety. His house and Wang Fu's house are next door to each other, connected by a gate in the wall. They are currently talking.

The discussions seemed to revolve around the matter of Tong Guan and Su Wu, and they all knew that their lives depended on this encounter.

The two sides have the same idea, so how could they not hit it off immediately?
Why did Tong Guan say that Liang Shicheng had a solution?

There is a secret passage in the palace, and many people know about it, or at least have heard rumors about it...

It was undoubtedly a secret, the route by which the emperor secretly met with Li Shishi.

Most people just don't know where the secret passage is. Some have even turned the emperor's palace upside down, but still couldn't find it.

The secret passage was not actually inside the emperor's palace. The emperor was also afraid of death. If such a secret passage were inside the palace, wouldn't an assassin come out from outside the city and kill the emperor?
This secret passage was known only to Liang Shicheng. In fact, Liang Shicheng personally supervised the construction of the passage. As for the craftsmen who dug it... needless to say, most of them were death row inmates...

Moreover, this secret passage was not entirely dug on the spot. Bianjing City has an extremely long history, spanning thousands of years. It was originally a city, and later it was the capital of the State of Wei during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. On the banks of the Yellow River, the land has changed over time, and it has been submerged and covered by mud and water several times, and rebuilt several times.

Beneath Bianliang city lies the remains of countless dynasties, and even the city's underground water system is extensive and interconnected.

Beneath the walls of Bianjing, these historical old cities, buried within, have created numerous cavities, underground passages, and sewers. They also harbor countless criminals in Bianjing, known by underworld figures as "Worry-Free Caves." Within these caves, bandits routinely kidnap and traffic children and women, making it a den of iniquity.

This secret passage in the imperial city was independent and not connected to the so-called "Cave of No Worries," but it did utilize those underground historical relics, which is why it was built so quickly in the past...

It's not difficult for Liang Shicheng to enter the palace! He has to go; it's his last chance, or it will be too late. Once he's in the palace, there's really no clever maneuvering involved. There are always a few people he's deeply indebted to in the past who will seek out palace maids instead of eunuchs…

Sometimes, in matters of favor or favor, eunuchs are less reliable than palace maids. This is because eunuchs have less access to the Emperor Emeritus's things, while palace maids have more opportunities.

Within the imperial city, the palace roads and the city walls in front were heavily guarded. However, once inside the inner palace, there was no real defense, and it was impossible for male guards to be stationed there.

There's also the enormous Genyue Mountain, filled with mountains, water, and trees, making it easy to find shelter...

In recent days, the Emperor has relaxed his confinement of the Retired Emperor somewhat. Not for any other reason than that the Retired Emperor's food, drink, and other necessities are now being served, and he is even being entertained to relieve his boredom...

Through the machinations of a cunning individual, a letter, along with a change of clothes, actually reached the emperor.

Upon reading it, Zhao Ji was deeply moved. He also wanted to write a reply, so he spread out his best undergarments and wrote in a single, elegant script: "Quickly come to the capital to save the emperor's life; Zhao Huan has murdered his father..."

There are also signatures, all kinds of signatures, including personal names and monograms. The monogram is extremely unique, with the four characters "天下一人" written in just four simple strokes. It is full of design sense and style.

He was afraid that the letter would not be trustworthy enough.

The letter was hidden in his clothes. After leaving Longde Palace, Liang Shicheng hid in the secret passage for a day, retrieved the letter on the second night, and returned excitedly.

The four thieves are still packing their things, dragging their feet...

Zhao Ji's letter naturally ended up in Tong Guan's hands. This kind of thing has happened before in history, such as the so-called imperial edict in the belt. Cai Jing and others were just copying the same thing.

Tong Guan's household indeed had many trusted confidants, all former soldiers, who had plenty of ways to send the imperial edict out of the capital. Several groups of people came and went, and a fifty-year-old soldier left the city alone.

But then the emperor received another memorial from Su Wu, requesting an official position!

Inside the Imperial Study, the ministers and the emperor all had ashen faces, and the emperor himself looked displeased.

What kind of subject acts like this? To want to manage the Yan and Yun regions and to appoint himself to official positions—isn't this overstepping his bounds?
Geng Nanzhong cursed: "These people are nothing but ignorant fools!"

The emperor replied, "I never imagined that Su Wu would do such a thing!"

The emperor still harbored a sliver of hope for Su Wu, recalling their past interactions and the fact that the Crown Princess and Empress had also shown kindness to Su Wu's wife in the past.

"This son must not be allowed to live; he is truly a presumptuous and rebellious minister!" Geng Nanzhong cursed again.

Pai Shih-chung couldn't help but scold, "Still young, arrogant and complacent, unaware of his own limitations!"

Li Bangyan also said: "Alas... He was spoiled too much. He became arrogant because he achieved success at a young age!"

The emperor looked to his left and right and asked, "My dear ministers, what should we do?"

Even the emperor hesitated in his heart.

Geng Nanzhong said in one sentence: "He should be severely reprimanded and his crimes should be clearly stated. However, since the war is not over yet, we may be able to tolerate him for a while. But we must also make him understand that this is an act of overstepping his bounds and rebelling against the enemy. If he can atone for his crimes by performing meritorious service, then so be it. But if he causes such trouble again, we will make him... we will make him suffer the consequences!"

Bai Shizhong immediately said, "No, no, absolutely not! Have you not heard of Shi Jingtang in the past? If we intimidate him like this, he holds a large army and there are Jurchens outside... If he panics for a moment, and the Jurchens provoke him further, the consequences will be unimaginable!"

They are all knowledgeable people...

Geng Nanzhong succinctly remarked, "He dares!"

Li Bangyan quickly added, "It's not a matter of whether we dare or not, Lord Geng, it's just that we have to be on guard against any unforeseen circumstances! What if he uses the name of the retired emperor?"

Bai Shizhong quickly changed the subject, saying, "It's all just in case. Su Wu is young and inexperienced. He's not calm and hasn't experienced any major events. If he gets flustered, we're afraid he might be provoked, manipulated, or panicked. It's best to appease him. Once the war is over and he enters the capital, things will be easier to discuss!"

The Jurchens instigated this, Tong Guan instigated it, and Su Wu himself was filled with fear...

Hearing this, the emperor was filled with helplessness. His attendants then asked, "According to your opinion, does that mean you agree to it?"

"Appeasement is the best policy!" Bai Shizhong said. When the Jurchens came, he had to run away and appease them. When Su Wu acted recklessly, he also had to appease him.

“Indeed, Your Majesty should also show more consideration and reassure him, so that he can come to the capital with peace of mind in the future. Once he is in the capital, he will have nothing to worry about!” Li Bangyan’s words were mature and prudent.

Geng Nanzhong angrily retorted, "We'll wait until we get to the capital, then we'll teach him a lesson about the heinous crime of rebellion and usurpation!"

Having said that, the emperor nodded: "Then we will appease them..."

Clearly, the emperor was also unwilling, but he knew that this matter could not be forced at the moment...

This matter can be considered settled...

The meeting ended quickly, but Geng Nanzhong stayed. He had other matters to attend to, and he was also the closest to the emperor, while the other two ministers were far behind. Whether he had something to do or not, he was always by the emperor's side.

As soon as the two left, Geng Nanzhong took out a memorial from his bosom: "This letter went directly to the Privy Council and then into my hands. Your Majesty, please take a look... there may be some unexpected joy."

Whose letter is this? Liu Guangshi's letter.

The emperor opened his eyes and scanned the area, first noticing the character "Su," and then looked at it a few more times: "This fellow is actually advocating for Su Wu's overstepping of his bounds!"

Geng Nanzhong quickly said, "Your Majesty, please look at it carefully from the beginning!"

Only then did the emperor examine it carefully, looking at it several times, before finally uttering, "This..."

"Indeed, Your Majesty, Liu Guangshi is utterly loyal, and there are many more loyal and righteous soldiers in the army!" Geng Nanzhong quickly replied.

"What does Geng Qing mean?" the emperor asked again, though he already knew perfectly well what was going on in his heart.

"Your Majesty, this General Liu is now in charge of the military in Hebei. He is a loyal and righteous man, but he does not know Su Wu's true nature. This man is useful. With him around, he will naturally be able to command a large following among the armies in the Northwest. Su Wu is just a member of the Jingdong Army. He will not be able to cause any trouble!"

How could Geng Nanzhong not be a schemer?
If it weren't for his unwavering loyalty and tireless efforts, how could Zhao Huan have safely waited until today to succeed to the throne?

The Emperor nodded: "This matter... is not impossible, then we should extend our favor!"

"It is fitting to bestow favor upon him..." How could Geng Nanzhong not ponder this carefully? After thinking it over several times, he said in one sentence: "We can appoint Chief Eunuch Liu as a Signatory to the Privy Council and send him to the capital to take up his post. In this way, there will be a capable general in the capital, who will be treated like a hostage. In addition, we can bestow favor upon Young Chief Eunuch Liu as a Co-Administrator of the Privy Council, so that Young Chief Eunuch Liu will know how much His Majesty treats him, and how great the favor is!"

"Then let's do it this way!" The emperor nodded, and as long as it was a matter of national importance, he gradually sorted things out and made sure that the last little troublesome matter was also resolved.

In fact, the methods used were quite clever and not bad at all.

But then a eunuch outside the door announced, "Your Majesty, Minister Li, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, requests an audience..."

Upon hearing this, Geng Nanzhong frowned and looked at the emperor.

The emperor also asked Geng Nanzhong, "I've heard that Li Gang and Su Wu are close friends?"

Geng Nanzhong was originally going to report this matter, but he did not expect the emperor to know about it. He immediately replied, "That's right. Everyone in the world knows that Su Wu was favored and promoted by Li Gang in the past."

The emperor was also frowning... Li Gang was now a prime minister, although he was excluded from the emperor's study, he was nominally the vice prime minister.

The emperor remained silent...

Geng Nanzhong immediately said, "This Li Gang was originally the prefect of Daming Prefecture, and he committed the crime of abandoning the city and fleeing!"

"Then... Qin Hui should be questioned about his crimes!" the emperor declared.

"So, will His Majesty see me or not this time?" Geng Nanzhong asked.

"If you refuse to see him, just say that I am tired. We can discuss it at the morning court tomorrow. At the morning court tomorrow, the censor will question him about his crime!" The emperor was the mastermind behind the scenes and did not step forward.

Geng Nanzhong should take care of it and hurry to find Qin Hui, who was about to be promoted to Censor-in-Chief.

This was a minor matter, and Qin Hui knew exactly how to handle it.

Geng Nanzhong then returned to the Privy Council. He was now the head of the Privy Council. In his life, he had never held such a high position or had such great influence.

Lately, he has really enjoyed going to work. He comes to the Privy Council to sit for a while whenever he has nothing to do. Although there is nothing really important to deal with, he is very happy just sitting there.

There's another matter I need to discuss today, a small one...

I had heard long ago that there was a chief secretary in the Privy Council named Cheng Hao, who was Su Wu's brother-in-law.

How could there still be any close confidants of Su Wu in the capital now? Let alone in the Privy Council?

They need to get rid of him. Geng Nanzhong also knows that it's not good to really offend him for the time being, so they'll just send Cheng Hao to another place. That shouldn't be difficult to do...

Cheng Hao was unaware of the affairs of the higher-ups. He did his best in his work at the Privy Council every day. However, he didn't know why, in the afternoon, he suddenly received a transfer document from the Ministry of Personnel.

He was sent to Dongping Prefecture to serve as a judge in the Jingdong Two Circuits Pacification Commissioner's Office. The euphemism was that it would allow the family to reunite. This was a great favor to Su Wu, so Su Wu had nothing to say about it.

Geng Nanzhong was a man of great patience; he wouldn't let trivial matters ruin important matters. He simply waited for Su Wu to arrive in the capital before making any further explanations.

At this time, let Su Wu quickly drive the Jurchens out, and then let Su Wu come to the capital to serve as an official; the position of Privy Councilor is not out of the question.

Let this Song Dynasty return to its original state, back to its beginnings, back to that prosperous and stable Song Dynasty that enjoyed a century of peace. In that kind of Song Dynasty, being in a high position and by the emperor's side was truly a joy.

Su Wu didn't need Geng Nanzhong to encourage him; he fought bravely on his own and was watching the battle from the city of Zhuozhou!

(Hey guys, muah muah muah muah muah muah muah!)
(End of this chapter)