Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 340 The world is about to change, let it change...

Sixty thousand riders galloped around the heart of the grassland, where yurts dotted the landscape and herds of livestock roamed freely.

The Song cavalry didn't kill many people; they simply arrested people and gathered up livestock.

There was some resistance, but it made no ripples and was almost meaningless. Without organization or leaders, the herdsmen were nothing more than lambs.

Su Wu did not personally participate in these matters. He was waiting for news brought back by the scouts at the front. This war would not last long.

King Tielali of Zubu had been following Su Wu closely. He came to watch the battle, and also to pick up any leftovers.

He couldn't help but ask anxiously, "Your Majesty, these people and livestock originally belonged to the Kereit tribe. May I be granted them?"

Su Wu glanced at him, and also at the many other people. There were a large number of Khans, both great and small, watching the battle, and quite a few of them had hopeful looks in their eyes...

Su Wu shook his head: "Since these are my spoils of war, I cannot be biased. You can discuss among yourselves how to divide the ranch territory, which has already been decided. However, these spoils of war were not discussed beforehand. Discuss it yourselves and then come back to me..."

Su Wu didn't want these things, at least not for the time being. With a major battle imminent, there was no point in taking them. They wouldn't be worth much money even if sold here.

Let them argue... These people already have countless past grievances and a lot of big and small grudges, and today they're just adding another layer of hatred and conflict...

With just a word, Su Wu rode forward at full speed, surrounded by strings of people being brought back, and herds of cattle, sheep, and horses.

Su Wu still needs horses. Now Su Wu has his own pastures. The area around Yinshan Mountain is the best pastureland. Su Wu also has his own herdsmen. The former Dangxiang people now have to herd horses for Su Wu.

In the future, some of the Jeta's herders could be allowed to herd horses for Su Wu, and even the entire grassland would be subject to a "horse tax," which would be paid on time.

The people behind them also started arguing, with the most agitated being Tie Lali, who was gesturing wildly: "These are all my Kereit people, how can they be your slaves?"

Someone else replied, "What do you mean by 'Kerrey'? On the grasslands, within our Dadan region, we all speak the same language and share the same bloodline. We've always been people of whichever tribe we belong to..."

Su Wu shook his head and laughed as he listened. Centuries had passed since the Turks, and the hearts of the people could no longer be united. Even the once-powerful Uyghurs were nothing more than a fleeting moment...

Good!

Let them argue for a while; they'll eventually reach a conclusion, and that's the conclusion Su Wu wants.

Sixty thousand cavalrymen, like a comb, spread out and headed east.

There were cities in succession: Zhaozhou, Weizhou, and Zhenzhou. These were the place names chosen by the ancient Khitan Liao Dynasty, and their meanings were simple: to recruit and pacify, to maintain and protect, and to guard and suppress...

Zhenzhou, formerly the seat of the Northwest Pacification Commission of the Liao Dynasty, also known as the Beiting Protectorate, was located in the heart of this grassland.

The cities were not large, and were constructed of earth and stone. Such a city was like a nail in this place. Throughout the Liao Dynasty, they had never truly failed on the grasslands.

Why? Just a few cities were enough to intimidate many. In detail, it was due to their excellent control over ironware, the strong fighting power of the Liao cavalry, and their skillful political division.

Another point is that these small towns, which are like nails, are in short supply on the grasslands, where even wood is scarce, let alone huge siege weapons.

When Su Wu passed through Zhenzhou City, he did not enter the city but only looked around from the outside. He felt that the city was still too small and needed to be expanded.

In the future, Su Wu's army will also be stationed here, but there will not be too many, a few thousand cavalry will suffice.

Who is coming?

Su Wu looked around and decided that there was no need to choose further; Yue Fei would be chosen.

Whoever shows signs of rising power, strike first and eliminate them. If you can maintain this for thirty or forty years, or even twenty, once the Central Plains have changed, the nomadic peoples here will no longer be a threat.

Su Wu had great political ambitions; his goal was to truly quell the war in the East...

The ambition to create an indestructible unified identity may seem ahead of its time, but it is actually achievable and not as complicated as it seems.

Continuing eastward, at the moment when Su Wu could see Wugu Mountain.

The scouts finally returned with news, and Yan Qing personally came to Su Wu to report in person: "Your Majesty, there are a large number of cavalry south of Wugu Mountain, including Jurchen cavalry and cavalry from various tribes of the grasslands. There are also cavalry movements north of Wugu Mountain."

"Do you know the number?" Su Wu asked, his brows furrowed, yet his heart pounded with excitement.

For the first time, for the first time, they truly fought to the death against the Jurchens.

"The numbers still need to be investigated. I came to report as soon as I received the news, so that Your Majesty could make preparations in time. I will go and gather more military intelligence!"

Yan Qing did not linger, but waited to see if Su Wu had anything else to say. Su Wu was deep in thought, so Yan Qing spurred his horse and rode on.

Su Wu looked at the Wugu Mountain Range in front of him. It ran north-south and stretched across the landscape. It wasn't a very large mountain range, but it was still two or three hundred miles long from north to south.

Cavalry were moving in both the north and south; the Jurchens had their own plans.

The Jurchens' grand strategy may not be particularly brilliant, but their tactics in battle must be taken seriously. This is an innate talent of the Jurchens, and also the result of their many years of experience in constant warfare.

There must be armies at the south and north of Wugu Mountain, that is, at its head and tail. What kind of shape is this?

A feint attack? A diversionary tactic? A pincer movement...

Su Wu stopped thinking about it and gave the order: "Send word to all the tribes not to go any further east. The entire army should assemble here and not move any further!"

Countless soldiers rushed off to carry out the orders.

Su Wu reined in his horse, preparing to wait. He didn't necessarily have to wait for the Jurchens to arrive, but at least he would wait until he had definite intelligence before making a move.

Intelligence on the grasslands is proving to be troublesome. Anyway, prudence is always a good idea, and at this moment, caution is absolutely essential.

Su Wu was gathering troops, and he was sending out more and more scouts.

The many khans, both large and small, suddenly became tense. How could they not know the might of the Jurchens? The once invincible Liao Dynasty had perished at the hands of the Jurchens!
Su Wu also gave them military orders, instructing them to retreat ten miles to garrison and observe the battle, and not to come closer to cause trouble.

The crowd quickly retreated, and each unit was to send out a thousand or eight hundred men to guard the spoils of war that had been brought along the way.

The group was still arguing and in disarray. As they had accumulated more and more spoils along the way, they still hadn't come to a conclusion.

The main conflict wasn't among the smaller tribes, but among the larger ones: the Zubu King, the Meliqi, the Damiri, the Yedugua…

Su Wu didn't care about these things... It would be best if they fought each other!
Su Wu was waiting for the troops to be assembled, and also for intelligence.

In the capital city of Tokyo, within the imperial city, beneath the Dragon Pavilion, there were few people, only Wang Fu and Tong Guan.

To be honest, Emperor Zhao Ji could only trust these two people. Tong Guan had just returned and was unemployed at home with no official position. The title of Prince of Guangyang was naturally returned to him, and he also gained the title of Grand Tutor.

The emperor asked, "I wonder how the war is going in the north..."

Wang Fu replied, "Your Majesty, His Highness the Prince of Yan has led a large army into the grasslands. They have probably arrived at the former Beiting Protectorate of the Liao Kingdom, but we do not know exactly where they are, whether a battle has broken out, or how the battle is going... It is indeed difficult to communicate."

The emperor felt a sense of powerlessness, as if he had a hand but couldn't control it, and couldn't even feel it anymore, not knowing what that hand was doing...

The Emperor sighed, "Such a distant expedition was an extremely difficult undertaking even in the Han and Tang dynasties, requiring years of preparation. Minister Su's hasty departure truly worries me..."

As he said this, he went to look at the old man, Tong Guan.

Tong Guan was truly old, growing older and older, his hair completely white... When the emperor looked at him, he naturally had to speak.

He then said, “Your Majesty need not worry. Su Ziqing’s army is strong and well-equipped. If they win, they will be victorious; if they lose, they can still protect themselves!”

"The lack of news always makes one uneasy!" the emperor said.

"Then Your Majesty could send someone to the Privy Council to urge them to report the military situation..." Tong Guan comforted him.

The Emperor nodded: "That's alright. How about you go and make some connections at the Privy Council? After all, you're very familiar with the Privy Council, and the officials there will certainly treat you with great respect!"

“Alright!” Tong Guan nodded earnestly.

The Emperor suddenly asked, "My lord, if... the Prince of Yan returns victorious again, it is certain that he will win a great victory. If he wins, all the tribes of the grasslands will come to pay homage, and the court will even bestow titles upon the Khans of the various tribes, just like the Tang Dynasty in the past. Hmm... and the Jurchens, having been defeated, also gained a great deal... In that case, how should the Prince of Yan bestow further favors? My lord, please give me some ideas?"

Upon hearing this, Tong Guan actually began to think about the matter, but then he suddenly realized something and looked at the Emperor…

The emperor's expression remained unchanged...

Tong Guan's heart was in turmoil.

The favor shown to Su Wu could not be increased any further.

When the emperor comes to ask, how can one truly inquire about bestowing favors? After realizing this, Tong Guan wondered how to answer the question.
Tong Guan was speechless for a moment.

The Emperor suddenly said, "As the saying goes, 'An elder in the family is a treasure.' Grand Tutor Cai died at the hands of treacherous officials, and now I will have to consult you more on matters of state. To be honest, I am in a very difficult position right now..."

Tong Guan still had to speak up: "Your Majesty, a subject serves the country, how could it be for the sake of bestowing favors? Regardless of whether favors are bestowed or not, Ziqing is still a loyal and righteous subject!"

With no outsiders around, Tong Guan was very straightforward. He had dealt with the emperor for decades, so how could they not have a deep bond?

The emperor nodded and looked at Tong Guan: "The Grand Tutor is the most loyal and righteous man in the world!"

What does this mean?
Tong Guan was in a terrible predicament. He sighed, "Alas... it's a pity that I am nearing the end of my life and my days are numbered. I don't know how much longer I can accompany Your Majesty..."

“Yes, the Emperor is really getting old…” A look of sadness appeared on the Emperor’s face, and he said again, “If the Emperor really passes away, leaving me alone in the world, what should I do?”

"Your Majesty need not worry, there will be successors!" Tong Guan had been feigning ignorance.

But today, how could Tong Guan feign ignorance? Wang Fu, standing nearby, chimed in: "Prince Tong, that Prince Yan now has his own government, his own officials, his own territory, and his own powerful army. His Majesty has nothing left to reward him with; he won't..."

Tong Guan could no longer pretend to be stupid, and kept waving his hands, saying, "No, no..."

"Why is Your Highness so certain?" Wang Fu asked again.

Tong Guan glanced at the Emperor, who remained silent. Tong Guan knew that it wasn't Wang Fu asking the question, but rather the Emperor himself.

How can this question be answered?
Then Wang Fu said, "History records say that the emperor is the one with the strongest army and the most powerful horses. Just now, the Prince of the Commandery said that the Prince of Yan has a strong army and the most powerful horses... How terrifying..."

Tong Guan glanced at Wang Fu sideways, sighed, lowered his head, and slowly shook it before asking, "Does His Majesty have any orders?"

There were instructions, but since His Majesty didn't give any, and Wang Fu came to give the instructions, there was nothing that could be done. Wang Fu had planned a lot, but it was all meaningless. He really had too little power to reach out.

Isn't Tong Guan back?

If Tong Guan were to do it, he would certainly be able to reach out and help!
Wang Fu instructed, "Alas... Your Highness, if you win again, His Highness the Prince of Yan will be at the height of his power, his brilliance surpassing that of any other prince... His army will be completely at his command. In the past, Your Highness might have had some prestige in the army, but compared to him now, you will pale in comparison..."

The meaning is clear: they cannot win anymore. It's not that the Song Dynasty cannot win anymore, but that Su Wu cannot win anymore!
Tong Guan felt his breath catch in his throat for a moment, but he wasn't shocked or stunned. Why?

He could understand the emperor's thinking: this was "family wealth," the Zhao family's family wealth. How they used it was their business!

If they want to scatter it, they can scatter it; if they want to throw it away, they can throw it away...

But we absolutely cannot let someone steal it from us!

Tong Guan was not a person of high moral character. He was just a servant of the Zhao family. In the past, he did not really value the lives of soldiers.

But today, Tong Guan felt a bit frustrated, simply because it involved one person: Su Wu. It was purely a matter of personal feelings. Su Wu had treated him well, so there was nothing more to say. He had saved his life, so what else could he say?

Tong Guan then said, "I fear I am somewhat incapable and helpless, unable to take any action..."

Tong Guan was actually being realistic. In the army today, Tong Guan really had some difficulty intervening. After thinking it over, he realized that Su Wu mostly promoted young and strong men, but now Tong Guan himself didn't even know many of the men serving in Su Wu's army, and those he did know were only vaguely familiar faces...

Even if they were willing to do it, they wouldn't know where to begin.

But Wang Fu had been planning for some time and had his own plan. He immediately spoke up: "Your Highness, I heard that when the army enters the grasslands, the logistics and supplies will all go through the northwest and Xingqing Prefecture... In Xingqing Prefecture, Huanqing is the young leader, and Xingqing Prefecture is the old leader. These two used to serve under Your Highness..."

The road was blocked, and Tong Guan could no longer make excuses.

Tong Guan frowned, glancing left at the Emperor and right at Wang Fu, before replying with a single sentence: "The two members of the Zhong family have always been upright, and many of their sons are in Su Wu's army. I'm afraid..."

Wang Fu added, "The latest news is that all the members of the Zhong family have suddenly been transferred from Su Wu's command to the armies of Huanqing and Xingqing Prefectures. This shows that the Zhong family has already realized that Su Wu harbors malicious intentions and is unwilling to associate with him!"

Tong Guan was immediately alarmed and asked only one question: "Is this true?"

Wang Fu nodded earnestly: "It's absolutely true. Zhong Shidao has just submitted a memorial requesting His Majesty to grant the Zhong family's children the privilege of studying in the capital! His Majesty's decree of this privilege has already been issued... Before long, it seems that most of the Zhong family's children will be going to the capital to study! In that case... wouldn't it be..."

Wouldn't that make things easier to control? The Zhong family is known for its unparalleled loyalty and righteousness; how could they not serve the country and the emperor?

Tong Guan immediately began to ponder. He guessed that the old man from the Zhong family was trying to avoid something by doing this!

Sigh... Master Zhong, you've planned everything, but you overlooked one thing. The more you try to avoid it, the more things will find you. Not only will they find you, they'll force you to do it!
Tong Guan glanced at Genyue, but he wasn't looking at Genyue; he was looking north... Perhaps he was looking at Zhong Shidao, Old Man Zhong. Now that this matter has come to you, are you going to do it or not?
If you are to be loyal and righteous, but you don't, you are being disloyal; if you do, you are being unrighteous.

Tong Guan replied, "Then I will go back and think about it, and see how to handle this matter!"

Upon hearing these words, the emperor, who had been expressionless, suddenly relaxed: "Daban, after all these years, it's still you... it's you... you are the most loyal!"

Tong Guan rose and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty flatters me!"

"No, no, no, I knew it! Grand Master Tong Guan would never disappoint me!" The Emperor had already grabbed Tong Guan's hand. "Then shall I go to the Privy Council to take a look?" Tong Guan asked, but in his heart, he was actually trying to escape.

"Very well, go quickly!" The emperor immediately released Tong Guan's hand.

Tong Guan bowed once, then slowly turned away, his steps unsteady, his body hunched over...

The Privy Council, of course, I must go...

Upon entering the Privy Council office, those around him naturally surrounded him to pay their respects.

Tong Guan waved his hand without saying a word and went into the jail cell. He had been in that jail cell for a very long time, and now it was Su Wu's jail cell.

But he still wanted to go in and sit for a while...

He settled into the armchair, the long table in front of him meticulously arranged. He casually picked up an official document to flip through, but there was nothing important to it.

Someone outside the door asked, "Does the Prince have any orders?"

Tong Guan waved his hand and left: "I don't have any instructions, just sit down, you can go about your business..."

"If the Prince needs anything, we have people waiting outside. Just call out anytime..."

“Alright, go ahead…” Tong Guan nodded, but as soon as the man turned and left, Tong Guan suddenly spoke again: “Hmm, I do have something to do. Bring me all the recent military reports from the north so I can take a look. Just a quick glance… That shouldn’t be too much trouble, right?”

Those outside the door didn't think much of it. They all knew the relationship between Tong Guan and Su Wu, and Tong Guan was also the Grand Chancellor. It was not against regulations for him to see official documents. These military reports and the like were all sorted out and would be reviewed by the court officials. It wouldn't make a difference if Tong Guan were to review them as well.

So the person outside the door laughed and said, "No problem, Your Highness, please wait a moment, it will be sent over immediately!"

Before long, a large pile of official documents appeared on the desk, some from Yanyun, some from Hedong, some from the Northwest...

Tong Guan slowly flipped through the pages, but he couldn't actually find any new information because of the time difference. He could only see that Su Wu had crossed Yinshan from Xingqing Prefecture.

But Tong Guan still sat down and read slowly, carefully examining each and every article...

They were completely unaware that it was already dark outside.

Then someone outside the door spoke: "Would the Prince like to light a lamp?"

The officials at the yamen had already finished their shifts, but no one came to disturb Tong Guan as he diligently reviewed the military situation.

Tong Guan raised his head slightly: "It's already night, no need to light a lamp, I'm going home!"

"I'm not going to look anymore," Tong Guan said, getting up and slowly walking towards the door. His steps were very weak, and someone tried to help him, but Tong Guan waved his hand, saying, "I'm old, it's alright..."

The person on duty then escorted Tong Guan out of the yamen. Outside the gate was Tong Guan's carriage, driven by an old servant, who was also an old soldier from the Northwest. He used to be Tong Guan's personal guard, only one year younger than Tong Guan.

He helped Tong Guan into the carriage and asked, "What would the Grand Chancellor like to eat tonight?"

Prime Minister...

Tong Guan smiled slightly: "Go home first! Something's up tonight..."

"Alright!" The old servant didn't ask any more questions. Tong Guan got into the carriage, and the servant went to drive it.

Upon arriving home, the old servant asked, "What would the Grand Chancellor like to eat? Just let me know, and I'll make the order..."

"No need for further instructions. Come with me to the study. We can have some tea and snacks and have a chat!"

Tong Guan walked ahead, with his old servant following behind.

Tong Guan wanted to write something, and his old servant ground the ink beside him.

The old servant was illiterate; he ground the ink without looking at what Tong Guan was writing, and ate some snacks with his other hand.

Tong Guan asked as he wrote, "Ninth Brother, you've been with me for half your life. Tell me, in this life, have I done more good deeds or committed more sins?"

"The Grand Chancellor's merits are indeed greater than the heavens..." the old servant replied.

"When we fought the Tanguts in the past, we won and we lost... But when I think about it, it seems that we didn't really gain anything in the end..." Tong Guan thought about many things.

The old servant chuckled, “Does the Grand Councilor mean Prime Minister Su? Prime Minister Su certainly has made great contributions, but… we can’t think of it that way. If we hadn’t fought back and forth with the Dangxiang in the past, draining their manpower and resources, how could Prime Minister Su have achieved such success today…”

"Haha... Is that so?" Tong Guan laughed.

"That is!"

"In the past, I deceived my superiors and was harsh on my subordinates regarding many military defeats. Alas..." Tong Guan seemed to be reflecting...

"But if the Grand Councilor really brought money to the army, who knows how many soldiers and their families he would have supported... Just like me, I have been indebted to the Grand Councilor all my life. My children and grandchildren are now all from Dongjing. Although they are not rich or noble, they all have houses and jobs, and they don't have to worry about three meals a day... It is the Grand Councilor's kindness..."

"Haha... Am I really that good?"

"Yes, it's really good!"

"Then... I also embezzled..."

"Oh dear, who doesn't have one? Everyone in the court, who doesn't?"

"Then I... also have the problem of nepotism, suppressing dissent, and promoting mediocre people..."

"This...this old man doesn't understand..."

"I also deceived the emperor, disrupted the court... and..."

"The Grand Chancellor's contributions are immense..."

"I even ordered soldiers to shoot their compatriots..."

"Following the emperor south across the river, wasn't that because the emperor was urging us? If the emperor hadn't been so urging us, we wouldn't have needed to shoot arrows at the people..."

“You…you scoundrel…” Tong Guan was speechless, then chuckled, “You just keep saying nice things for me…”

"Hehe..." The old servant chuckled, revealing a large number of missing front teeth.

"I even abandoned the city and fled..." Tong Guan sighed, finishing one letter and then taking out another piece of paper to write another!
"That was also when the emperor was on the run..."

“Actually, deep down, I also want to escape…” Tong Guan said as he wrote with his head down.

"That...that's because the emperor had to flee...The former prime minister was a man who fought on horseback!"

"Alas..." Tong Guan sighed deeply, saying, "I don't know what to do this time either!"

"Are we going to war again? Then we won't run away this time!" the old servant replied casually, gulping down his tea, which choked him on his snack.

"Not running away anymore?" Tong Guan looked up and asked.

The old servant nodded earnestly: "No need to flee. There are no enemy troops in Tokyo this time, right? No wonder the Grand Councilor spent so long reviewing military intelligence in the Privy Council today. The Emperor wants the Grand Councilor to lead troops to the north, right? So why flee? We are all heroes who go into battle. Besides, the Emperor won't send the Grand Councilor to fight again. With Prime Minister Su leading the charge and countless brave generals, we can just go!"

“Alright, then I won’t run away! Zhong Shidao, you’re really good at scheming. If you want to be loyal and righteous, I’ll learn from you…” Tong Guan sighed repeatedly.

The old servant also asked, "What's wrong with Master Zhong? Is he trying to run away?"

Tong Guan stopped writing and laughed: "He thinks he's so clever, but he insists on showing a flaw, so what am I supposed to do?"

The old servant was completely baffled.

But Tong Guan picked up his pen again and sighed, "Su Wu, Su Wu, I saw you in Jingdong back then, who would have thought that things would turn out this way... Great talents emerge in this world, and if it weren't for you, our country would probably have already fallen. I really am a traitor to the country, but because of you, this country and this nation..."

"Ah? Lord Su has been defeated?" the old servant exclaimed in surprise.

Tong Guan waved his hand: "No!"

"Oh...that's alright. As long as we don't suffer a defeat, then everything is fine. Even the biggest problem is nothing..." The old servant patted his chest.

Suddenly, Tong Guan looked up and said, "Ninth Brother, tell me, I certainly won't live another year or two, will I?"

"What kind of talk is that?"

“Tell me seriously, my health is deteriorating day by day. I can barely eat a few bites of food anymore… After the two bumpy trips to and from Yanjing, I feel like my bones have completely fallen apart. I can’t even walk properly… Tell me…” Tong Guan asked seriously.

“That…that is far from what it used to be. The Grand Chancellor is now old…”

"I have a difficult matter to discuss today!" Tong Guan said.

"In today's world, where is there any chance that a prime minister would be in a difficult position..." The old servant was not convinced.

“I won’t tell you. You, do two things for me. The first thing…” As he spoke, Tong Guan put down his pen. The second letter was very short. He was blowing on the ink after he finished writing it. The previous letter was being put into an envelope.

"Send two letters to the Northwest immediately. One to Zhong Shidao and the other to Su Wu. Do not use the post stations; send them through trusted confidants."

Tong Guan gave the instructions.

"Yes, sir!" This is a common occurrence and nothing is more complicated than this.

"The second thing is to find a pharmacy and buy some arsenic!" Tong Guan said.

"Huh?" The old servant suddenly stopped eating the osmanthus cake he had just put to his mouth.

“Arsenic!” Tong Guan emphasized.

"This thing..."

"Go and do it!"

The old servant suddenly froze: "Wasn't...wasn't he supposed to be heading north to lead the troops?"

Clearly, he had sensed something too. Those words, which he hadn't noticed at first, now seemed... perhaps...

"Go ahead..."

"What is the Prime Minister doing?" the old servant asked anxiously.

"What if I live too long and actually see it? Huh? You don't understand. You're just a muddle-headed man, illiterate. How could you understand? I'll just leave it at that. I've already got what I asked for. If I wait any longer, I'm afraid it will all be for nothing. Cai Jing laughed at me before he died. He was right. I won't wait anymore... I won't hide anymore! Isn't that what you said? I won't hide anymore!"

Tong Guan's tone was heavy, yet it seemed as if he were talking to himself, speaking to himself.

"Prime Minister, why must we die! We have achieved great success and fame, and we also have Prime Minister Su's power in our hands, we..." The old servant had already knelt on the ground.

“Go ahead, do you expect me to go by myself?” Tong Guanzhen said, getting up as if he really intended to go by himself.

"No...Prime Minister...I..."

"You don't need to worry. I'll just be leaving a year or two earlier, maybe a few months earlier. You... will still have someone to take care of you... It's rare for a person to reach seventy years old. Alas... If I die, I'll have a good reputation. If I don't die, I'm afraid history will say two different things, and future generations will curse me endlessly... I've already asked for it, so I can't delay any longer! Don't harm me, do you really want to harm me?"

Tong Guan also got excited and started walking, about to go out!

"Prime Minister, why has it come to this? Let's go back to the battlefield and fight the enemy..." The old servant still tried to pull at the situation with both hands. He didn't understand. Why was this happening? He really didn't understand!
"In the end, it really was you who ruined me!" Tong Guan said, shaking his head.

"Prime Minister, I'll go, I'll go..." The old servant stood up. He was also quite old and frail. Both of them were over seventy years old.

"Yes, tomorrow morning, you have something to say to someone. Tell them that I've been ill for a long time since I turned seventy, and I've been barely holding on. I've traveled a thousand or two miles twice, and I couldn't hold on any longer. I suddenly died tonight. Don't allow anyone to examine my body closely! If you don't do these things well, you've let me down in your life!"

Tong Guan also gave an explanation.

“I’ll go, I’ll go…” the old servant nodded, but his feet barely moved.

"You damned bastard, we are both heroes of the battlefield, we have seen countless lives and deaths, we have been through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, how come you are now looking like a woman?"

Tong Guan cursed loudly.

"I'll go, I'll go right now..." The old servant finally left the study.

The old servant wiped away his tears and walked away. Tong Guan stood at the door of the study, looked up at the sky, and said, "Let the world change, let it change... It has nothing to do with me..."

Perhaps, some people will say in the future that Su Wu did those things only after I, Tong Guan, died, and that if I, Tong Guan, were still alive, Su Wu would never have acted so recklessly… In that case… perhaps it would be even more lucrative for him…

There's still a sliver of hope, but what can be done? On Su Wu's path, who can stop him? No one…

Could Tong Guan really stop them? Tong Guan shook his head, turned around, and, holding onto the doorframe, walked into the study. He was genuinely afraid, truly afraid, utterly terrified…

I just wish that the ninth brother would come back slowly... I just wish tonight would be a little longer...

(End of this chapter)