The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 355 Shi Junshe

On the seventh day of the third lunar month, the army arrived in Shancheng on a day with light spring rain.

The heavy fog was filled with the patter of rain and the clatter of footsteps as the infantry and cavalry set up camps at places such as Guogong Mountain, Caoyangxu, and Taiyangdu.

Guogong Mountain is located two miles from the city, overlooking the Yellow River.

This section of the river is the most treacherous part of the Yellow River. When Emperor Xian fled east, he was trapped here and wanted to float down the river to the east. Grand Commandant Yang Biao strongly advised against it, saying, "There are thirty-six rapids on this way. It is not a place for an emperor to go!" The emperor and his ministers searched for a boat to cross the river to the east, but they found that the cliffs were more than ten feet high. They had no choice but to use ropes to bind Wu Chen and carry the emperor down the river.

The officials and soldiers either crawled, threw themselves, or killed each other; the dead lay piled up, and in the end only a few dozen managed to escape from Hedong.

Such is its danger.

Caoyangxu is located six or seven li to the southwest. It is also a place steeped in history, where Emperor Xian once camped out.

There is also a military city built by Gao Huan's generals in the south of the city.

Shancheng is nestled within this strange and wonderful landscape of mountains, plains, and rivers.

Yang Jun had already retreated to the city.

After the imperial carriage arrived, Yang Shouliang sent officials to welcome the emperor and presented thousands of pigs and sheep to the troops. Then, he closed the city gates and fortified the city.

While his attendants were busily making arrangements at Baolun Temple in the west of the city, the emperor, accompanied by the empress and his ministers, ascended Mount Guogong to observe the city of Shaanxi.

"This fellow, he used to look like a loyal minister, how come he's getting worse as he gets older?" In the drizzle, looking at the heavily guarded city walls, the emperor's expression was displeased.

Are we really going to have to fight Yang Shouliang in this godforsaken place?
“Li Huaiguang, Guo Yingyi, Cui Ning, and Keyong are the likes of whom are loyal in the morning and turn against you in the evening. Now they are clearly loyal.” Wei said solemnly, “The hearts of military men are never to be measured. In the previous attack on Li Maozhen and the Jingnan Campaign, Yang Shouliang made great contributions. Over the years, the court has issued edicts to commend his merits, and he has also expressed his gratitude sincerely. This time, he is watching from the sidelines. I think the emperor has given him a chance to be fickle. It would be better to let him go for now and see what he does next.”

The sage chuckled: "You mean, if I don't launch the western expedition and make him feel that the Holy Tang Dynasty is about to fall, he won't pay attention?"

“Your subject…” Wei said in agreement.

"Your Majesty, I have accused Wei Shuo of protecting traitors and accepting money from Yang Shouliang," Lu Yi said, clasping his hands in rebuke.

“Minister Lu, do not say anything that is detrimental to unity. Lord Wei is loyal and devoted, which is known throughout the province. This is a wise and experienced opinion.”

"Shut up! Your subject harbors treacherous intentions and is on the verge of rebellion, yet in the mouth of this traitor Wei, the blame is placed on the king. Who else could this be but a traitor?"

"Your words are wrong. Among your ministers, there are good people and bad people, some who are truly loyal and some who are falsely loyal. If the ruler is not careful, the power will be unstable, and it will be easy for all sorts of monsters and demons to cause trouble. This is precisely the reason why a ruler who is not discreet will lose his ministers, and a minister who is not discreet will lose his life. Do you want to question the teachings of the sage kings?"

"Leaving aside the fact that the emperor was not discreet, a ruler's kindness to his subjects is precisely what inspires them to die for their principles. A subject should bear the responsibilities that come with the power and benefits he receives. Given Yang Shouliang's official rank and treatment, it is only natural for him to die for the Holy Tang Dynasty. This is the way of the ancient ministers. But he sat idly by and watched the rebels attack the pass for half a year because of the raging rebel forces, thinking himself superior to the emperor and the Holy Tang Dynasty. Is this appropriate?"

"correct."

"Imperial Censor Jiao, your statement that you disregard the fact that the emperor was not discreet is to say that the emperor was incompetent?"

"I did not say."

"Then what do you mean by that?"

"Enough!" a military official shouted, raising his head. "We are either descendants of founding heroes, members of aristocratic families, newly risen nobles of this dynasty, or relatives of the emperor. Since ascending the throne, we have fought across thousands of miles, sacrificing countless lives over the years. If someone like Yang Shouliang can still hold both the positions of general and minister, what are we?"

"Without murderers like you, how could the Holy Tang Dynasty have suffered so many calamities!"

The debate between the civil and military officials quickly escalated into vulgar language.

"Stop!" The sage raised both hands and laughed, "They are all loyal ministers, not treacherous ones. That's enough."

Yang Shouliang's actions were within his expectations.

In this world, everyone's strength speaks volumes. If you lack strength, if you're no good, nobody will listen to you. And in this era, you can't expect all warriors to be honest.

Whether they are unwilling to accept their fate, feel that you can manipulate them, are bewitched, or are simply brainless, it is not surprising that they do these things.

The officials fell silent and bowed, saying, "We have been disrespectful."

"Your Majesty, we cannot go any further," Zhu Jin advised again.

The sage smiled and gestured for everyone to sit down.

Inside the hastily erected rain shelter, the sound of rubbing armor came from again.

The officials knelt on the prayer mats, removed their swords and pressed their knees, watching the emperor expectantly to see what he would do.

The rain was still falling, dripping and pattering, and the mist that permeated the mountain streams drifted into the awning.

"Letting go is not an option." The sage surveyed the scene and sighed, "But we shouldn't fight either. If we stall here, aren't we just giving others an opportunity?"

"Does the Sage expect him to surrender? He's been summoned, but he won't come out!" Several relatives of the emperor rose to their feet and bowed. "If the Sage will lead us, let's capture this traitorous dog! Zhu and Li have already been hacked to pieces, and their corpses are piled up like mountains. Do these bastards still want to rebel? We are willing to be the vanguard, break down the bandit's gate, and wipe out Yang Shouliang and his entire gang!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a chorus of agreement rang out: "Damn it, let's fight those Hanzhong guys to the death! I want to see who's stronger!"

The sage paced back and forth under the awning, and with a single glare, said: "Don't shout 'fight' all the time."

As he spoke, he raised both hands: "They're fighting you with stones and city walls, not with positional warfare!"

The military officials immediately stopped making a sound.

But if we don't fight, can we just wait and hope, even if it means we have to fight to the death to defend the city? Perhaps the Emperor and Empress have been spending their nights indulging in pleasure, and have forgotten all about it...

The sage, observing the gazes below, slowly sat down in his seat: "My plan is to divide the army into three routes!"

The officials sat up straight.

"One force will be stationed outside Shaanxi City, closely monitoring Yang Shouliang and ensuring the supply lines are secure. There's no need for a direct assault; a series of demonstrations will suffice. I will lead over ten thousand cavalry and infantry to Ruzhou to pursue and annihilate Zhu Dalang. The remaining main forces will advance eastward to join forces with the King of Wu, and together we will capture Bianliang." His tone was nonchalant, but the ministers' expressions changed drastically, unable to contain themselves: "Your Majesty!"

He left us to do this relatively risky task, leaving the great achievement of capturing Bianliang to his son, while he himself would travel day and night, pursuing the enemy for a thousand miles. Whether this idea stemmed from a lack of trust in everyone or from compassion for the officials and their families, the Emperor's will was truly astonishing, and his loyalty to the Tang Dynasty was as bright as the sun and moon!

"That's the decision!" The sage waved his hand to stop them from offering any further suggestions.

"Your Majesty! What kind of monarch abandons his army to become a regional general? How can we, your subjects, feel at ease with such a lone force..."

"Without His Majesty's presence, the generals and the King of Wu do not trust each other, so how can the overall situation be coordinated? If the remnants of the rebel army in the east come to their aid, the battle situation in Bianliang will be in grave danger. Wouldn't that be... wouldn't that be repeating the mistakes of Yecheng?"

Several ministers were so anxious that tears were about to fall. They stepped forward, but after saying only a few words, they were forced back by his stern gaze.

"If there is no precedent, then we will set one." The sage's eyes shone brightly: "I will not be able to eat or sleep in peace until this villain is eliminated."

These days, there are plenty of cases where just a few hundred people have succeeded in starting a business.

Zhu Wen was able to sweep across the Central Plains with only 500 men, while Yang Xingmi was able to occupy Huainan with only a few thousand men.

With tens of thousands of followers on the run, is there no chance for Zhu the bandit to rise again? In such chaotic times, it is the perfect time for such people to act.

He would never allow such a possibility to occur.

Incidentally, the Chungmuk Army was also subdued.

You guys handle the easy tasks, and I'll take care of the difficult ones!
"Return to your respective camps." Giving no chance for rebuttal, the Sage swiftly selected his troops: "Zhu Jin, Wang Yanzhang, Huangfu Lin, Shui Wusheng, Zhao En, Li Renmei, Ashina Yingchen... without baggage, the entire army will carry fifteen days' worth of rations, and set off at dawn!"

The Empress, who had been silent all along, had now personally tied his raincoat and straw hat on him, and then put on her own raincoat and straw hat.

He looked at the sage and simply smiled faintly.

Finally, the time has come for us to join forces and conquer the world!
The sage surveyed the crowd, then simply clenched his hands: "Gentlemen... whether we revive the dynasty or not depends on this battle!"

"Whether we are restored or not, it all depends on this battle." The Empress raised her face, her eyes clear and firm beneath her bamboo hat, her voice piercing through the rain awning. She stretched out her hand: "This time, we will go together, return together, live and die together."

With a crisp, resounding clap, the Sage and the Empress looked at each other, their eyes filled with the same burning passion and determination.

Without looking back, the sage turned and strode out of the awning, raising his right hand high: "Revive the Han Dynasty!!"

The Empress leaped onto her horse, spurred it on, and shouted, "Revive Han!"

Wang Yanzhang, Zhu Jin, and others followed suit with one heart: "Revive the Han Dynasty!!!"

……

In the former residence of Shangguan Wan'er in Shancheng, Shi Junshe's brows were furrowed, as if he were grieving.

The concubine brought over matcha and asked him a few questions in a soft voice, but he glared at her and scared her away.

A plot by a subordinate to overthrow his superior—women should die somewhere else!

"So annoying!" Shi Junshe overturned the table and paced back and forth in the pavilion, still unable to make up his mind.

The messenger of Li Juchuan, the Vice Minister of War, has already visited him, saying that the prime ministers intend to nominate him as a general, allowing him to choose a town based on a map of the south. In the Guanzhong region, there are currently many vacancies in positions such as governor, commandant, military instructor, prime minister, and military commander.

It's also negotiable to acquire a piece of land in the west and establish a feudal system for generations.

He believed in that promise. Li Juchuan was originally a confidant of the warlord, and was later summoned to serve in the imperial court. Now he is a vice minister, a visible case of someone who has cleaned up his act and returned to the right path.

Normally, upon receiving such immense wealth, he would have been overjoyed and would have immediately taken the plunge.

He was actually quite influential, serving as the military governor of Xingyuan Army in the early years of the Guangqi era. When Zhu Mei, the military governor of Bin, entered the capital to depose and install emperors, he made an empty promise of a ministerial position, which in return led him to burn down the plank roads and intercept the imperial carriages with the rebel army.

After the plot failed, seeing that things were not going well and that there were signs of insubordination within the military government, he fled the city at night and sought refuge with Zhu Mei.

After being killed by her subordinates, Zhu Mei then joined Yang Shouliang's forces.

For him, the betrayal by the new owner was something he could easily control.

But now... the commander-in-chief's prestige is not low!

The officer didn't know what he was thinking, and he didn't dare to approach them rashly—the generals of the military government had all followed the commander-in-chief since Yang Fuguang's time. Some were the commander-in-chief's fellow Jiangxi natives, and some were from Hanzhong and Jinshangyuan. Their cohesion was quite good.

It's so hard to rely on myself!

Don't be fooled by the numerous rebellions these days, where killing an officer is as common as killing a chicken. In reality, however, the execution is often riddled with flaws, leaks, or is utterly disgraceful—planning? Plan my ass!
"The only option is rebellion!" With that shout, the men rushed to the military headquarters!

"How could I be bewitched? How could I let greed cloud my judgment?" Shi Junshe paced back and forth, occasionally flashing a fierce glint in his eyes at the study.

Li Juchuan's envoy was settled there.

Or perhaps we should tie up the messenger and use him to prove our loyalty to the commander-in-chief?

But for someone like me, no matter how much I pledge my loyalty, it seems to have little effect. Who would believe that? Do you believe it?
"Jun She, what are you so anxious about?" His wife, Madam Shao, came over gracefully, her face dark. "The Emperor has arrived in the suburbs, with a large retinue of attendants and a vast army. It's terrifying!"

"You weren't scared?" Shi Junshe slapped Shao across the face and said violently, "I'm already annoyed enough, and you still come looking for comfort!"

Mrs. Shao covered her face and sobbed, "The Emperor summoned General Yang, but did General Yang go?"

"Meet the Emperor?" Shi Junshe said expressionlessly, "They're still having a banquet at his residence right now."

"Then what do we do?"

(End of this chapter)