Chapter 137: Victory on Two Fronts.

During the reign of Li Yuanhao's ancestors, the Western Xia, then known as the Tanguts, was a vassal state of the Liao Dynasty. It was only during his generation that it became an independent state, resisting Liao invasions several times and even putting up a considerable fight against the Song Dynasty.

Moreover, he even recruited talented individuals and invented a Western Xia language derived from Chinese, attempting to use it to maintain the independence of the Tangut, or Uyghur, people. All these actions demonstrate that he was not only exceptionally skilled in military strategy but also remarkably farsighted in governance, making him a truly enlightened ruler of Western Xia.

...If he hadn't died from being forcibly taken as the Crown Prince's consort, but instead was stabbed to death by the Crown Prince.

But since the other party had already done it, Fusu could only bluntly describe him as a "youthful version of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang".

In the original historical timeline, this event occurred in the eighth year of the Qingli era, which was last year. Perhaps due to some butterfly effect caused by Fusu, Li Yuanhao did not indulge excessively in wine and women in his later years as historical records describe. His superficial relationship with the Crown Prince also did not break down. However, judging from Ning Lingge's expression of sudden realization after being reminded of this, though not entirely accurate, it is not far off.

Fusu can be almost certain that Li Yuanhao made his move against his daughter-in-law during this incident.

Given the choice between a crown prince who could be captured with a 100% chance of success and a Western Xia ruler with a 50% chance of dying, which would most people choose? Fusu would naturally choose the latter—even his recent military expedition was a gamble, wasn't it? So why not take the gamble to the end?

Moreover, as Fusu knew, even if Ninglingge personally killed Li Yuanhao, it wouldn't be him who ascended the throne. Instead, it would be the infant in the current empress's arms. The actual power in the country would then become the empress dowager's brother and the infant's uncle.

Wouldn't it be better to take advantage of the chaos and conquer Western Xia then?

Fusu kept these thoughts and plans to himself. He released Ning Lingge under cover of darkness, and no one around him tried to stop him or dissuade him; everyone did as he was told. Under the chilly moonlight, Ning Lingge's lonely and anxious figure gradually disappeared into the distance. This gave Fusu the illusion that he was Cao Cao, and that Cao Cao was standing opposite him.

Pshaw, what are you thinking?

Fusu quickly shook his head, "The film set is wrong!"

Ning Lingge walked halfway and suddenly turned around, his eyes fixed on Fusu: "Can you tell me, how exactly did your Great Song Dynasty obtain information about my fiancée?"

Not only Ning Lingge, but also Fusu's attendants quietly pricked up their ears. They also wanted to know the answer to this question.

Fusu said, "Of course...it was reported to me by the people around me."

Even from a distance, Ning Lingge's changing expression was clearly visible. His face was ashen, and he gritted his teeth: "Regardless, I should thank you for informing me."

Then, with a mighty flick of the whip, it galloped away in an instant.

The spring night was cold and desolate. Only when the last sound brought by Ning Lingge disappeared did the person beside Fusu come back to his senses and whisper to him to confirm: "To be able to find out the secrets of the Dangxiang, the Imperial City Guard is indeed powerful."

"When did I say I was from the Imperial City Guard?"

"ah?"

"But you weren't talking about the people around you..."

“I was just fooling him,” Fusu said calmly.

He appeared sufficiently candid in front of Ning Lingge, so Ning Lingge naturally wouldn't believe he was lying. Moreover, because the answer directly confirmed Ning Lingge's suspicions, Ning Lingge became even more convinced of its truth. This would make Ning Lingge increasingly wary of those close to him, thus reducing the likelihood of a successful coup.

This is what Fusu wanted.

It was despicable, but sparing his life was already more than enough! Fusu thought to himself, then turned around and met the adoring gazes of those around him, which were almost tangible.

"As expected of our Crown Prince!"

"It is Heaven's blessing upon the Great Song Dynasty!"

Fusu: "..."

He was too lazy to guess what these people were imagining this time.

It wasn't the Imperial City Guard who informed him. How could they know Li Yuanhao harbored improper thoughts about his daughter-in-law? It could only be Heaven that told them. No, no, no, don't you think there's nothing to worship about a Heaven that talks about the private lives of other countries' leaders?

Fusu couldn't understand their thought process, so he preemptively struck before they could awkwardly praise him: "When I said I wanted to let Ning Ling go, why didn't you stop me?"

They exchanged a glance, then stammered, "Because this was your decision?"

"Will my decision never be wrong?"

"Yes."

"That's right."

The left and right sides spoke in unison.

Fusu: "..."

"I even spent a while thinking about how to convince you," he muttered sullenly.

Perhaps being decisive and uncompromising is satisfying for some, but he always felt uneasy. Maybe he was misunderstood by his father in his past life, and in this life he keeps making surprising statements that shock the emperor and Fan Zhongyan, so explaining himself has probably become a habit.

Explanation, in turn, is a process of reorganizing language and clarifying logic. Fusu himself could also use it to reaffirm whether he was right or wrong. Without it, he always felt uneasy.

"If you have any questions next time, be sure to ask me."

Both men and women solemnly replied, "Yes!"

The man to his right was the first to raise his hand: "Your Highness, I have a question. What should we do next?"

Fusu stroked his chin: "That's a good question."

Ning Lingge's return to Western Xia and the subsequent killing of his father will take time. A hasty attack could easily create external conflict, instead uniting Western Xia internally against a common enemy. Therefore, during this period, they should find a well-informed and safe place to proceed cautiously and await the right opportunity.

But the vast, desolate wilderness before them was neither well-informed nor safe. Fusu could even occasionally hear the cries of wild animals, but wary of their superior numbers, they could only observe from a distance, daring not to approach. He studied the map intently for a while; the nearest place to settle was…

——

"I didn't expect to meet you so soon." The man at the table was all smiles and chattered on and on: "I say, Your Highness, you wouldn't have missed me, would you, that's why you specially requested troops to go north?"

Wang Anshi: "..."

Fusu: "..."

Fusu then looked at Wang Anshi with concern: "My lord, you have worked hard."

To be stuck with such a foul-mouthed prefect.

Wang Anshi turned his face to the other side, nodding with deep emotion. Yes, yes, it really wasn't easy. He was just a kid, at an age when you'd feel ashamed to even argue with someone, yet he suddenly went from being a subordinate to a prefectural governor overseeing him. Who could he complain to?

"Hey!" Su Shi exclaimed anxiously upon seeing this, "Lord Wang, what do you mean? And Your Highness, why don't you answer my question from before?"

"Alright, alright," Fusu said. "I sent troops north for a publicly funded trip, just to see you, is that alright?"

Su Shi snorted: "I knew it."

After saying that, he introduced the dishes on the table to Fusu one by one: "This is rabbit head, this is mutton offal soup with bread, this is oat noodles... These are all specialties that you can't get in Bianjing, you should try them!"

Fusu glanced at him: "How come you've only been here a month, but you're acting like a local gourmet? But it's not surprising that it's you."

Su Shi smiled and said, "Of course."

At this moment, everyone around Fusu, as well as the others from Yunzhou at the banquet, were almost speechless with astonishment: What? His Highness the Crown Prince and Prefect Su are so familiar with each other?

They had only heard that they were classmates and fellow students at the Imperial Academy, and assumed they were just study companions. They never expected them to banter and tease each other like ordinary friends, and His Highness the Crown Prince wasn't angry at all!

Only Wang Anshi calmly enjoyed the food—as the former editor-in-chief of the Qiuzhi Bao newspaper, he had seen this scene countless times and was already used to it.

Su Shi suddenly felt a shiver run through him. He looked around and found himself surrounded by countless burning gazes. He instinctively looked at Fusu, only to catch a glimpse of a smile playing on his lips.

"Fine!" he shouted, "Your Highness, you did this on purpose!"

Fusu picked up a rabbit head and calmly started gnawing on it: "How come you only just noticed?"

That's how you have to deal with Su Shi. Settle your scores on the spot. Otherwise, he'll keep provoking you without ever learning his lesson.

Wang Anshi noticed something else: "His Highness seems quite skilled at eating rabbit heads."

"Huh, it really is. And it's not afraid? I was startled when I first saw it."

Fusu's hand stiffened slightly. Of course, he had never eaten rabbit head in his life; all his skills came from his previous life. His eyes darted around: "I ate it once when I came to Yunzhou before, so I have some impression of it."

"But why didn't I..."

"Before you."

There was no longer any angle for others to question him. Fusu, on the contrary, felt it was a long time coming. Basically, after he became the crown prince, or more accurately, after he "discovered" the potato, no matter what he did, almost no one questioned him. There were almost no days when he needed to hide his talents or play dumb, like before.

As he sighed, he smoothly changed the subject: "Is there any news from General Di's side?"

Di Qing needed to pass through Yunzhou. Therefore, maintaining communication with Wang Anshi, the prefect of Yunzhou, was essential. This is also why Fusu sought refuge with Wang Anshi.

If you ask about the smooth flow of information, where can compare to him?

Since this matter concerned military secrets, Wang Anshi immediately dismissed everyone else. On Fusu's side, except for a few people, the rest left and sat at another table.

Given Su Shi's rank and responsibilities, he shouldn't have been qualified to review confidential documents. However, he stood confidently beside Fusu and acted as if it were none of his business when dismissing people. Fusu and Wang Anshi glanced at him one after the other, but both pretended not to see him.

He stayed with a grin.

"Your Highness, please take a look." Wang Anshi took out a few light sheets of paper from his sleeve and handed them to Fusu, who eagerly accepted them.

After watching for a while, he exclaimed in amazement, "I never thought it could be like this!"

Su Shi was immediately filled with curiosity: "What? What?"

He immediately leaned closer, and Fusu tilted the paper so he could see it. It showed him Di Qing's movements.

Contrary to popular belief, Di Qing did not march on the city walls and breach the gates in a grand manner. Instead, he selected several locations bordering neighboring prefectures, disguised himself as farmers smuggling honeycomb briquettes, and infiltrated the neighboring prefectures in small groups.

Their accents were different from the locals', but it could all be explained by the fact that they were from Yunzhou, so it was normal for them to be different. Then they spent some money to stay in a local village.

After infiltrating in batches and gathering enough men, they stormed the local county government office in one fell swoop. They achieved victory from within before the others could even react. Casualties were also remarkably low.

Next came the whole process of appeasing the people, distributing supplies, and dealing with corrupt officials. Di Qing had seen Fusu do this in Yunzhou, and he had also tried it himself, so he was quite skilled at it.

After a brief period of panic, the county residents succumbed to the sweet temptations of "free food" and "free honeycomb briquettes" and went back to their lives.

According to the military report that Fusu saw, Di Qing's army had followed the same method and recovered four counties in two prefectures. These were all counties bordering Yunzhou. The main force of the army was systematically advancing, expanding the territory of the Song Dynasty.

"This really does extract the essence of my being," Fusu exclaimed.

"The battles to come are all tough. However, these few victories are enough to keep the Liao Kingdom emboldened for a while."

The harsh words the Liao envoy uttered before leaving are still vivid in my mind.

Wasn't Yunzhou a coincidence? How come we've managed to recapture several counties using the same method?

Wang Anshi and Su Shi set off early and were unaware of the specifics of the negotiations between the Liao envoys and the Song Dynasty. However, when Fusu imitated the conversation for them, they all laughed knowingly.

“But the Liao Kingdom must have taken precautions,” Wang Anshi said.

This Liao ruler is no fool. Even if he doesn't actively attack the Song Dynasty, he will contact the Western Xia to create obstacles for the Song, and he will also strengthen the defenses of the neighboring prefectures of Yunzhou. Wang Anshi received the news, and logically, they should have also received the news of consolidating their armed forces in the neighboring prefectures. Presumably, Shuozhou and Wuzhou will not remain peaceful.

"Yes, that's why I said the battles ahead are going to be tough."

Fusu said.

However, he wasn't afraid; rather, what he had obtained through opportunistic means was a pleasant surprise. Ultimately, wars between two nations, especially in the era of cold weapons, boil down to a contest of national strength.

Who has the largest population? Whose soldiers are the strongest? Whose food supply is endless? Whose horses are young and vigorous?

However, in terms of national strength, Fusu believed that the Song Dynasty was no less powerful than any other country of its time. Otherwise, would all his hard work over the past few years have been for nothing?!

And indeed, this was the case. Cotton, potatoes, honeycomb briquettes, Northwest horses… these revolutionary material resources acted like a buff, continuously empowering the Song Dynasty soldiers. The effortless capture of the four counties further boosted the morale of the Song army.

If the recapture of Wuzhou, Shuozhou, Yingzhou and other places was previously just a goal on our lips, now it is no longer a dream, but rather something that is within our reach.

"Charge!"

Faced with the Liao army's assembled forces, the Song army did not sit idly by and wait for their doom, but instead took the initiative to go out and fight. The battle line kept pushing forward, eventually reaching another city. They fought their way out from the defenders and became the attackers.

With the enemy at the city gates, Di Qing once again unleashed a gunpowder ball, hurling it towards the Liao capital's city walls.

"Bang!"

It was a louder sound than the last time.

The stone was more than a hundred times harder than soil, yet it was still blasted open by the gunpowder ball, creating a crack. The Liao soldiers standing on the city wall felt their bodies sway, watching helplessly as stones tumbled down the wall.

Their faces turned pale instantly.

The Song soldiers at the forefront were also engulfed in dust and smoke. Yao Da was one of them; he was unlucky enough to get pebbles in his eyes, causing him to shed tears. But Yao Da dared not rub them; his heart pounded like a drum, and his eyes were fixed on the direction of the Song army's banners.

They are waiting for a signal to attack.

Finally, the brightly colored banners moved. They all rushed towards the city wall. Amidst the rain of arrows, they fearlessly charged towards the hole created by the auspicious omen from the sky, and towards the Liao army whose morale had been shattered by the deafening roar.

The Song army won.

The Song army won again.

There were no shortcuts, and it was a direct battlefield.

Fusu didn't know how others reacted, but when he received the news, he immediately stood up. He stood quietly for a while, his eyes repeatedly tracing the pages of the battle report, still reeking of gunpowder.

After a while, he opened the window again and looked out to the north.

“I should get going too,” he said.

Su Shi: "Are we leaving already? Shouldn't we wait a little longer?"

Fusu glared at him: "I know you're reluctant to part with my five thousand elite soldiers."

The five thousand elite soldiers he brought with him couldn't just sit around doing nothing all day, or they'd become useless. So Fusu simply released them to do corvée labor for the Yunzhou government. Of course, the corvée labor was paid, and the money came from the Yunzhou treasury.

Five thousand men, mostly strong men, how much work could they possibly do? In just a few days, the entire capital of Yunzhou was completely transformed, much to Su Shi's delight.

"You've noticed that," Su Shi said. "But shouldn't we wait a little longer?"

"I can't wait any longer." Fusu said helplessly, "Alright, I know you're worried about me. But I can't really not set off, otherwise what's the point of requesting troops this time? Just to be there for show?"

"Moreover, things are almost settled in Western Xia as well."

“Alright. If you see Li Yuanhao, please pass on a message to him: if he is still alive,” Su Shi said.

Fusu asked curiously, "What is it?"

If he remembers correctly, Su Shi and Li Yuanhao didn't have any enmity between them, right?

“Of course it’s that line—” Su Shi cleared his throat: “I have never seen such a shameless person!”

Fusu was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter: "Hahahaha! So that's what it is."

It was he who remotely controlled Su Shi to say those words to the Western Xia envoy. It was also the starting point of his friendship with Su Shi.

Five years have passed in the blink of an eye.

"I will definitely deliver it to you," Fusu patted his chest and assured him, "if Li Yuanhao is still alive."

——

Is Li Yuanhao still alive?

Of course not.

He first received news of the annihilation of the Crown Prince's entire army. In his grief, he completely let loose and forcibly took the Crown Prince's wife, Mei Yi.

Within three days, news arrived that the Crown Prince had fled back to the capital alone.

Li Yuanhao immediately felt guilty.

He may have harbored the thought of killing the Crown Prince and installing the new Empress's son as the new Crown Prince. However, his doubts about the so-called "divine punishment" and his curiosity about how Crown Prince Ninglingge had turned death into life forced him to suppress this idea.

"Summon the Crown Prince," Li Yuanhao said.

When Ning Lingge entered the palace, he looked almost exactly the same as when he left. Only his aura of malevolence had intensified considerably. Li Yuanhao wondered to himself: He doesn't seem to have suffered any injuries? He shouldn't have been harmed by the Song army, right? Then who is he directing his malevolence at?

He asked, "Your Highness, was your journey safe and sound?"

"Thanks to you, the journey couldn't have been smoother." Ning Lingge said meaningfully, "How is Father? And what about my Crown Princess, Mei Yi? Is she alright?"

She didn't move...

Li Yuanhao looked away guiltily, but his expression quickly returned to normal.

But Ning Lingge immediately noticed this moment of guilt. He couldn't sleep all night, his worst fears coming true. Just like the second student who had been slow to fall, he landed with a thud.

As if propelled by some inertia, he calmly drew his dagger and, just as he had rehearsed countless times in his mind, stabbed forward. A sharp tearing sound rang out—the sound of the sharp blade piercing through clothing and sinking into flesh.

Ning Lingge punctured Li Yuanhao's pancreas.

The latter's expression changed several times in an instant: shock, confusion, realization, anger, pain... but it was too late. His life had already entered its countdown the moment he was stabbed through.

Ironically and regrettably, this powerful ruler who made Western Xia an independent state and controlled the northwest did not know what the so-called divine punishment from the Song Dynasty was, or where the fate of Western Xia would ultimately lead.

Li Yuanhao only needs to wait for death, but Ning Lingge has much more to consider.

After killing Li Yuanhao, Ning Lingge's ears rang, and he was momentarily dazed. He stared blankly at his biological father's blood flowing onto his hands, unsure of what to do next. The palace, the capital, the Song army... which should he deal with first?

Yes, the leader of the Song army, that little kid, said that there are spies within their Western Xia, and they need to be completely purged! As for the Song army, they are few in number, and the leader is still a child. We'll think about how to deal with them after he stabilizes the situation.

Fusu: That suits me perfectly.

Of course, he didn't witness Ning Lingge murder his father firsthand. The version he heard was that the Crown Prince suddenly changed his personality, murdered his father, and then carried out a massacre in the palace and the capital.

This was the news he received after leading his troops in a surprise attack on Hongzhou, using gunpowder balls to blast open the city gates and enter the city.

Fusu shook his head after hearing this: "Your secrecy in Western Xia is not very good? And it seems that the central government has completely shut down?"

However, Hongzhou was a specially fortified defense line against the Song Dynasty, garrisoned by officers loyal to Li Yuanhao. It's not surprising that they had access to special intelligence channels. And upon hearing that their lord had been killed by his son, the cause being the forced abduction of his daughter-in-law… many officers felt deeply ashamed and began to resist passively.

After being captured by the Song army, he also appeared as if he had lost his parents.

Fusu remained on guard for several days, worried that they were just putting on a show to lower his guard. But after several days, no reinforcements arrived. Only then did Fusu dare to believe that Li Yuanhao was indeed dead and that the central government had indeed come to a standstill.

Hongzhou fell, but no one cared.

He smirked smugly—if not 80%, at least half of this is my doing, right? The remaining half should be awarded to the executor, Crown Prince Ning Lingge.

I wonder if he has managed to escape the battle royale yet? But under the weight of history, it's probably very unlikely.

Fusu quickly wrote a letter to Emperor Renzong, including his speculations. Of course, he didn't mention the reason why Ninglingge murdered his father. The idea of ​​being forced to take his wife was too graphic; he couldn't bring himself to say it in front of his elders.

After writing the letter, he sealed it with sealing wax and had it mailed back to Bianjing. Suddenly, his thoughts drifted from the Emperor to the Liao Emperor. Surely, the Liao Emperor must be facing a mountain of urgent military reports by now?

The military reports came from two countries simultaneously, and both were bad news unfavorable to him. Imagining the Liao Emperor's expression, Fusu slowly revealed a smile.

Uncle, times have changed.