Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 336 Yes, the Tang Dynasty, we are the Tang Dynasty!
Zhong Shizhong sat down again and looked at his elder brother.

Zhong Shidao slowly explained, "A person who has his own army, his own territory, and his own money and provisions..."

"Who is it? Master Su?" Zhong Shizhong asked.

Zhong Shidao did not answer, but continued, "Since ancient times, the affairs of the world have been nothing more than military strength, finances, morale, and popular support, and he has all of these! At the beginning of the campaign against the Dangxiang, he did not realize these things, but now, looking back, the situation is already set..."

"Brother, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Zhong Shidao looked at him with a worried expression and sighed, "You don't understand? You've lived for decades, don't you understand?"

Zhong Shizhong suddenly frowned slightly, but did not answer.

“It’s not that you don’t understand, you’re just too lazy to think about these things, or you simply don’t want to think about them…” Zhong Shidao patted Zhong Shizhong’s arm beside him, sighing repeatedly.

But he continued, "Tell me, did he have any ulterior motives in leading his troops into the capital to seize the palace?"

Zhong Shizhong stood up: "Brother, these matters cannot be resolved by discussing them here... In our lives, we initially had only one thing to do: wipe out the Tanguts. We couldn't have done it before, but now we have, and the Liao Dynasty is gone. Now, we only have one more thing to do: attack the Jurchens. We just need to do our job. Our family has served the court on the borders for generations, fighting against foreign tribes. Whichever foreign tribe rises, we will fight that foreign tribe..."

"When the Duke of Zhou feared rumors, and when Wang Mang was humble before his usurpation, would you like to know how I thought about the future?" Zhong Shidao suddenly raised his head slightly and closed his eyes...

"You say so..."

“I believe that Su Wu will one day usurp the throne!” Zhong Shidao said with certainty.

There are always some people in this world who are clear-sighted. How could Su Wu possibly deceive the world?

“Brother, you mustn’t talk nonsense at this moment…” Zhong Shizhong was already pacing back and forth.

"Whether it's nonsense or not, you can judge for yourself..." The two brothers were just different in personality.

Zhong Shizhong suddenly became angry: "Then tell me, tell me... what should we do now?"

Zhong Shidao shook his head: "I don't know!"

"Then why are you saying all this again..." Zhong Shizhong seemed to be venting his anger on his brother, but also seemed to be acting coquettishly towards him.

“My death is not far off, and now I can hardly even climb onto a horse. You are in good health and may live for many more years. Perhaps I will not see it, but you will... Now we are discussing this, asking you, asking you what to do on that day?”

Zhong Shidao also got angry, and his tone became quite harsh.

"Ask me? I don't know! What if it's not like that?" Zhong Shizhong's pace quickened, and his tone became increasingly urgent.

"Isn't that what we're saying now? What if that's the case?"

Zhong Shidao raised his voice, and Zhong Shizhong's steps indeed slowed down. He looked at his elder brother, still unsure of what to say...

The two brothers fell silent.

Only the sound of Master Zhong slowly sipping his tea could be heard...

The more Zhong Shizhong listened to the sound of sipping tea, the more irritated he became. Suddenly, he said, "Then I'll go and fight them. If I can win, I will; if I can't, there's nothing I can do. Let's fight the Jurchens first. The great hatred of our country must be avenged!"

"This may not be what you truly think! You're the kind of person who values ​​relationships, so you'll likely hesitate countless times between sentiment and loyalty!"

How could Zhong Shidao not understand his own younger brother?

"Then you should live longer, brother, and you can make the decisions when the time comes!" Zhong Shizhong was extremely annoyed. In the past, his brother had always made the decisions on important matters, and he had always supported him.

"It is said that the various armies in the Northwest have troops in every prefecture and county. If I leave, you will likely become the leader of these armies and lead the troops into battle. If you do not go, the world will fall into chaos. Our Zhong family is a family of loyalty and righteousness. You will be ashamed before your ancestors and the great favors of the emperors of past dynasties. If you go, your compatriots will turn against each other, and countless sons and daughters will die. Regardless of victory or defeat, foreign tribes may also take advantage of the chaos to rise up..."

Zhong Shidao opened up completely, since it was just the two brothers talking behind closed doors.

"That depends on them. If the old man of the Liu family dies, aren't there still the young ones? There are still many people. There are so many prefectures in the Northwest, from Xihe and Lanhuang to Huanqing and Fuyan, and Guanzhong... There are too many soldiers. If they want to fight to the death, then they will fight to the death. If they don't want to fight, then they won't fight. Brother, do you know what I'm talking about?"

Master Zhong also came to ask a question.

"The will of the people?"

Zhong Shizhong nodded: "Yes, what I'm talking about is the will of the people. Our Zhong family is a family of loyalty and righteousness, and has received the emperor's favor for generations. We should be loyal to the country. If they don't fight, we will fight. Even if we are defeated, we will have done our duty and fulfilled our loyalty. As for the will of the people... there is something I shouldn't say, but I have to say it..."

"Are you going to spout nonsense again?"

"These two, father and son, fighting like this—one running away at the first sign of the enemy, the other imprisoning his own father, the one wanting to lead an army to restore the throne… How can the world not laugh? And in these past twenty years, have the people of this world suffered more or been blessed more? And those court officials, from Cai Jing to Wang Fu… and Geng Nanzhong, let's not even talk about him. If you want to talk about loyalty and righteousness, brother, then I am loyal and righteous! My sons, trust us, and go forth and be loyal and righteous. If I die, it will be my life for them; if I live…"

At this point, Master Zhong stopped speaking.

Beyond victory and defeat, there is another matter: life and death. Victory and defeat can both lead to life and death.

It's the most troublesome thing to both fail and survive.

Zhong Shizhong thought for a moment, then said, "If we are defeated but survive, the Zhong family descendants will be safe. Su Wu is indeed a good man. In this way, we can fulfill our loyalty and righteousness, and we can also take care of our descendants. Brother, isn't this what you wanted to say? I've said everything. Is that alright?"

“Alas… I regret what happened before. I shouldn’t have put all my nephews and nieces into Su Wu’s army. Now it’s too late to regret it…” Zhong Shidao said again.

“Alas…Brother, children and grandchildren have their own blessings. If you are worried that your reputation for loyalty and righteousness will be tarnished, then this is the perfect opportunity. I will go and say that Huanqing is currently short of soldiers and generals, and recall all my sons and nephews. How about that?”

The path of the Seed Master is much more straightforward than that of the Seed Master Dao.

“They’ve been recalled. There’s no need to put them in the army. Let them go to the capital to study…” Although Zhong Shidao was conflicted, he had thought things through very thoroughly.

Their sons and nephews could certainly go to the capital to study, whether it was the Imperial Academy or the National Academy. Of course, they could also enter the palace to serve as guards, such as palace gatekeepers, to protect the emperor. They could choose whichever they wanted.

“Why go through all that trouble…” Zhong Shizhong said. The Zhong family’s son is different from other families. He doesn’t need to take exams. He is born a son-in-law and his family has a profound learning. Going to the capital to study would be a waste of time…

“You…you don’t understand!” Zhong Shidao slowly waved his hand.

"Is there anything else you don't understand? Just tell me frankly, brother..."

"The name of loyalty and righteousness cannot be changed, much less destroyed. You and I receive salaries, therefore we must be loyal to the emperor! If I die but you do not, you must uphold this loyalty and righteousness; if I also do not die, I must uphold this loyalty and righteousness! We are not bound by life or death! Nephews and nieces have not received salaries..."

"Brother, just tell me the truth!" Zhong Shizhong was completely confused.

Zhong Shidao went to have tea again. He was somewhat reluctant to speak, as people are always reluctant to show their selfish thoughts. He looked at his younger brother and still had to say, "Only by fulfilling the loyalty and righteousness of the Zhong family can we gain the respect of the world and become a model for the gentry. Only then will our children and nephews be given more important positions and protection in the future!"

Zhong Shidao thought much more deeply and profoundly than Zhong Shizhong.

As Zhong Shizhong pondered the matter, he gradually came to understand the deeper meaning behind his brother's words.

The Zhong family is known for its unwavering loyalty and righteousness, which inspires the world to believe that their descendants will also be like them. This is their reputation, something that the world sees, and even Su Wu saw.

Most importantly, the more flawless the loyalty and righteousness of the Zhong family, the more Su Wu would have to set an example by giving important positions to the Zhong family's descendants, thus gaining the trust of the gentry throughout the land.

Who else could be more suitable than the Zhong family? They could not only gain the trust of the gentry, but also the military generals!
The so-called "people's hearts belong to the world".

Zhong Shizhong nodded: "Understood, I will die for my country! If that day ever comes, I will go to the battlefield and die!"

Zhong Shidao sighed deeply: "The rise and fall of dynasties throughout history, the affairs of today are the affairs of our ancestors. I suppose the ancients, like me today, thought far ahead!"

"What if I go into battle and win? Then I won't have these worries?" Zhong Shizhong asked again.

Zhong Shidao waved his hand helplessly: "There's no way to win... Perhaps two or three months ago, we could still discuss the outcome, but now, it's impossible..."

"Hmm?" Zhong Shizhong was a little confused, but then he understood.

Two or three months ago, if something really happened, Su Wu would only have troops from the Jingdong region, or perhaps one or two units of the Northwest army.

Others, even if they had doubts and anxieties, would not immediately be of one mind with Su Wu.

So, back then, we could really have a say in who won and who lost.

At this moment, there was truly no room for judging victory or defeat. Su Wu had consolidated his power, secured his territory, and not only had he secured the money and provisions, but he had also brought many of the elite soldiers of the Western Army under his control...

Su Wu could raise 40,000 to 50,000 cavalry at a moment's notice; how could there be any talk of victory or defeat then?
This time, they will have to conscript 14,000 to 15,000 cavalry from various armies in the Northwest, leaving them with absolutely no chance of fighting back...

"Then I understand, and I am doomed!" Zhong Shizhong nodded, showing no fear of death, only sighing, "What a pity for the fine young men under my command..."

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Zhong Shizhong. Why not, when the day comes that he truly faces these matters, simply slash his neck with his long sword in front of the battle lines and end it all? Perhaps then he could even have his name of benevolence and righteousness remembered for generations to come!

Of course, it was just a fleeting thought...

“Alas…” Zhong Shidao sighed for a long time.

"Is everything alright, brother? Then I'll go now..." Zhong Shizhong disliked these annoying things.

“Duanru…” Zhong Shidao called out again. Duanru was Zhong Shizhong’s childhood nickname, or perhaps another name.

Zhong Shizhong had already turned to leave, but when he looked back, he saw his elder brother's tears falling.

Strangely enough, even Master Zhong couldn't hold back his tears. The two old men looked at each other, speechless for a moment...

Suddenly, Zhong Shidao uttered something inexplicable: "It would be best if you could actually live to see this!"

What kind of talk is this?
It is imperative that the loyalty and righteousness be fulfilled by the master himself, not by his sons or nephews, otherwise this loyalty and righteousness cannot be fully realized...

After reading a lot of books, one inevitably longs for those few strokes of history in the book and a word of praise from the people of the world.

It is the respect and admiration of the world, the lasting fame, and above all, the preservation of the family and descendants from decline...

"I'll listen to you!" Zhong Shizhong nodded in response.

Feeling somewhat melancholy upon leaving the house, Zhong Shizhong climbed the city wall and gazed eastward. Beyond Xingqing Prefecture, the Yellow River flowed, and as far as the eye could see, there were fertile fields where the rice seedlings were growing. He could almost see the yellow sand in the far distance...

He knew then that His Highness the Prince of Yan would ride his horse from the end of the yellow sand...

In just a few days, Minister Su arrived, leading a vanguard of over ten thousand cavalry and more than thirty thousand horses…

They came into the city to replenish their supplies. The cavalry were traveling alone and couldn't carry much food. Why did Su Wu have to go north first, and even more supplies before actually heading north?

Inside the government office, a simple banquet was prepared. Su Wu was also busy, so aside from exchanging a few pleasantries, they discussed official business. Su Wu talked about his trip to the grasslands, as well as matters in the capital and the Yan-Yun region...

Zhong Shidao reported on some recent events in Xingqing Prefecture. Then the banquet ended, and Su Wu went about his business.

Zhong Shizhong saw them off, escorting them all the way to the outskirts of the city.

"Old sir, there's no need for you to see me off so much..." Su Wu said this several times, but Zhong Shizhong still saw him off.

Zhong Shizhong suddenly reined in his horse: "Lord Su, may I have a moment's passage?"

Su Wu still had questions, and he also wanted to borrow some.

Zhong Shizhong broke away from the main group and rode slowly ahead on horseback, continuing for a long time without stopping.

Su Wu followed behind, full of doubt.

Finally, Zhong Shizhong stopped his horse, turned around, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Lord Su, many of my Zhong family's sons and nephews serve in your army. Now that Huanqing is short of generals, I wish to recall them all..."

Why make things so complicated?
Su Wu's heart tightened immediately. What did this mean?
But Su Wu didn't ask, he just nodded: "That's easy, a family reunion and the joy of family life is the best thing! Is that all you need, old man?"

Zhong Shizhong nodded: "That's it..."

“Young Master Zhong isn’t one to keep secrets…” Su Wu said with a smile, having noticed something strange about Master Zhong.

Zhong Shizhong waved his hand: "It's nothing. You and I met on the battlefield and have had many interactions. I like your character, and I think you think I'm not bad either. As for our friendship, it's not that deep, but it's definitely not shallow either..."

“Then there’s something else…” Su Wu nodded and said, “I have the utmost respect for the two gentlemen of the Zhong family. I don’t know how much help I received from them in the past. Without their strong support, how could I have achieved what I have today?”

"Very well, now that you've said this, let me ask you a question. What did my brother say... 'The Duke of Zhou feared rumors, and Wang Mang was humble before his usurpation'... that's what he said..."

Zhong Shizhong is truly straightforward to an extreme, a product of his family's upbringing and the pampering he received from his father and brothers since childhood!
Su Wu was stunned for a moment, caught completely off guard.

But he immediately laughed: "Whether it's the Duke of Zhou or Wang Mang, aren't these just jokes? Let's wait and see! Right now, we'll attack the Jurchens!"

With that, Su Wu reined in his horse, turned around, and galloped away.

Zhong Shizhong was speechless for a moment, then rode back home. This was indeed what Su Wu had said. If Su Wu were to pat his chest and declare his loyalty at this moment, how could anyone believe him?
What if Su Wu were to declare that the world belonged to him at this moment?
What else could it be but waiting to see?
On his way back to the city, he was surprised to find his elder brother waiting for him in the government office!

When the two brothers met again, they dismissed everyone else.

Zhong Shidao asked immediately, "You didn't go to test me, did you?"

"Brother, you didn't scheme against me too, did you? That's why you said those things a few days ago, and now you're waiting here again..." Zhong Shizhong asked.

Unexpectedly, Zhong Shidao actually nodded.

"You old man, what are you trying to say to me..." Zhong Shizhong stomped his foot in anger.

"What did he say?" Zhong Shidao immediately asked again.

“He said, ‘Let’s wait and see, we’ll fight the Jurchens right now!’” Zhong Shizhong replied irritably.

"Ugh……"

"what happened?"

"The nation and its people..."

"what happened?"

"Let's go, let's go, I'm going to rest. Today, I'm feeling even more exhausted!" Zhong Shidao stood up and turned around. He was indeed hunched over, and his steps were no longer light. Xu's words were true; it had really been a year or two since then.

“You just don’t have it as easy as me…” Zhong Shizhong complained from behind.

It seems that this matter between the two brothers has come to an end.

Su Wu headed north, replenished his supplies, ate a meal, and set off without a moment's rest.

To the north lies the Hetao Plain, the land south of the Yellow River, at the foot of the Yin Mountains, and at the very top of the "几"-shaped Yellow River.

In Henan, there is a place name that came about later: Ordos.

At the foot of the Yin Mountains lies a vast, extremely lush grassland, later known as Bayannur...

The middle section of the Yellow River at its top later became known as Baotou. In the past, a remarkable figure emerged there, named Lü Bu of Baotou. Whether it was Wuyuan or Jiuyuan, they were all from that nearby area.

But so that the Dragon City Feijiang will be there, he will not teach Huma Du Yinshan.

Before Su Wu departs, he will first take a look at the extremely fertile grassland at the foot of Yinshan Mountain, which will become Su Wu's horse-breeding ground.

If Su Wu's hundreds of thousands of horses are not properly cared for, they will face serious problems.

Leaving the grasslands from Wuyuan, you truly enter the Mongolian Plateau. Of course, at this time, the word "Mongol" still refers to a small grassland tribe near Manchuria, located in the northeasternmost part of the grasslands, which historical records also refer to as Menggu.

Tatar, Dadan, that is the name of the grassland that Su Wu saw after leaving Yinshan.

Today's grasslands are incredibly diverse in terms of ethnicity. More recently, there are Uyghurs, Shiwei, Tiele, Dangxiang, Khitan, and even Shatuo and Tuyuhun...

It's really hard to say about bloodline... The word "Tartar" or "Dadan" is also difficult to use exclusively, and is often a broad term... Later, the Menggu, the Mengwu Shiwei who came down from the Greater Khingan Mountains, were also called Tatars for some reason.

Further ahead, in this area, the word "Tatar" inevitably means "Tartar" or "Dadan." Back then, the Dadan didn't have nine tribes, but thirty.

At the end of the Tang Dynasty, the nine clans of Dadan were summoned by Li Keyong and fought in the war in the Central Plains.

Going back further, there are the Turks and the Donghu, belonging to different language families: Turkic and Donghu. In fact, they have difficulty communicating with each other. The Donghu language family is also divided, and the Turkic language family has many differences...

There are even many people of Han descent among them, and Chinese vocabulary is mixed in among them.

In the past, under the rule of the Liao Dynasty, many tribes fought each other. Today you fight me, tomorrow I fight you.

It seems that all of this is really waiting for one person, waiting for a man named Borjigin Temujin.

When the Khitans act as referees, it's inevitable that they sometimes struggle to be impartial.

Sometimes the Khitans were also quite unruly, and some tribes inevitably rebelled. When the Khitan army came to fight, they were able to suppress the rebellion...

The Jurchens have now come from the east, and they too will want to spread their power over the grasslands. Historically, they have ruled in the same way, and their methods have even been somewhat cruel.

The Jurchens of today are different; they want not only supplies, but also people.

Su Wu arrived and crossed the Yellow River, which was not turbulent, nor even wide or deep.

The grassland came into view. It was the season when the weather was getting warmer. The grass was lush and the birds were singing. Herds of cattle and sheep were everywhere. As far as the eye could see, the sky was high and the land was green. The blue sky was dotted with a few auspicious clouds, and the ground looked like patches of white clouds. Looking closer, you could see flocks of sheep walking around.

More than ten thousand iron cavalrymen galloped in, scaring the shepherd so much that he ran away as fast as he could, abandoning his flock and fleeing for his life...

What laws are there to speak of here? Living here is truly difficult.

"Catch that kid back!" Su Wu waved his hand, pointing to the young shepherd in the distance who was riding away on horseback.

But that kid only has one horse, how could he possibly run away?
He was dragged back by several soldiers and thrown in front of Su Wu.

Su Wu uttered a single syllable: "Yedugua?"

The boy was utterly panicked, his eyes darting left and right with fear.

Su Wu dismounted, smiled, took a flatbread from the horse's leather pouch and handed it to the man, then helped him up and handed him a water pouch...

The boy's fear had subsided considerably.

Su Wu asked again, "What did you see?"

The boy nodded: "Yes, thank you!"

Dadan Jiubu of Yedu Gua.

"Khan, where is the Khan?" Su Wu asked again, gesturing wildly. In fact, there was an interpreter, whom he had found in Xingqing Prefecture.

They might not understand others, but the Khan understood...

The boy raised his hand and pointed north, babbling a whole bunch of nonsense.

Su Wu then went to see the interpreter, who said, "He said the Great Khan has gone north to the Great King's Palace to discuss matters."

Su Wu looked around and said, "Bring me some gold!"

Fan Yun handed over a small bag, which had been prepared beforehand. Su Wu took out a small gold ingot from the bag and said, "We are Song people, from the Central Plains. Take us to the King's Mansion. I am a guest, a good guest!"

The gold was then stuffed into the boy's hand.

The boy stood there dumbfounded, listening to the interpreter's explanation. He looked at the gold in his hand and then pointed to the flock of sheep in the distance.

"Take the sheep back, give your family instructions, and I'll give you this bag of gold. Come with us, and when we get there, come back on your own!"

Su Wu was coaxing the child.

The young man from Dadan looked at the bag in Su Wu's hand, hesitated for a moment, then nodded and asked, "Are you Khitans?"

Su Wu waved his hand and laughed: "No, Song people, Central Plains, Tang Dynasty!"

"The Tang Dynasty? The Tang Dynasty is wonderful! Grandpa said there was a Tang Dynasty..."

Upon hearing these words, Su Wu laughed heartily and gestured enthusiastically: "That's right, the Great Tang, we are the Great Tang!"

“I’ll take you there. You’re good guests. I’ll take you to find the Great Khan! The Great Khan is very anxious lately… He says that enemies have come from the east and have taken my brother away… many people have been taken away.” The young man was also smiling.

"What's your name?" Su Wu asked with a smile. He never expected that after two hundred years, the term "Tang Dynasty" would still be useful here!
"Zhahemu!"

"My name is Su Wu!"

(End of this chapter)