Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Not even a few years' worth of currency could buy it! ...
Yunzhou, the very Yunzhou where Fusu secretly sent Apu and the Imperial City Guard to provide food and clothing. Someone has rebelled.
In previous years, when the Liao Dynasty suffered from severe weather, it wasn't uncommon for the Liao to experience natural disasters, and the Han people's stored grain was often embezzled. However, the Han people were somewhat aware of their status as "second-class citizens" under nomadic rule and obediently handed over their grain. Occasionally, there was resistance, but it would ultimately succumb to the army's suppression.
But what's that saying again—I could have endured the darkness if I had never seen the light.
It wasn't until he became a horse thief, the last link in the Song Dynasty's chain of interests, and later, when he was given cotton clothes and potatoes during the freezing cold, that the people of Yunzhou realized how well the people of the Song Dynasty, who lived just a wall away from them, were doing.
It's easy to imagine that if the people of the Song Dynasty hadn't all had potatoes to eat and clothes to wear in winter, would their government have been so generous as to help the people of neighboring countries?
No, at least their government helps its neighbors. Think about our own situation? It only leads to endless exploitation from one level down. And because the Liao Dynasty implemented a system of "dividing the north and south, with the south controlling the south," the appointed Han officials, to demonstrate their loyalty to the Yelü family, exploited even more ruthlessly, making life even harder for the people of Yunzhou.
What else is there to say?
The people of Yunzhou had not read Fusu's groundbreaking statement that "the people have the right to choose the government that brings them happiness," but they put this statement into practice with their actions.
Initially, it was a village that rebelled in anger, with able-bodied men from the countryside carrying sickles and hoes overthrowing the government office. The news spread like wildfire, reaching the surrounding villages, and many others began to stir. Encouraged by this success story, more and more people took action, and almost an entire prefecture fell under their control.
Only a few towns further north survived, as the Song Dynasty's aid was insufficient; their potatoes and existing grain were barely enough to get them through the winter, not enough to give them the strength to attack the county seat. These local officials, having received advance warning, had sent men to garrison the area beforehand, thus becoming one of the few survivors.
But under the watchful eyes of the "occupied areas," they were all isolated islands, their lives hanging by a thread. Local officials could only plead day and night, hoping for the arrival of reinforcements from the imperial court.
...Instead of receiving reinforcements from Liao, they received reinforcements from Song.
As soon as news of the rebellion in Yunzhou reached the capital, Fusu immediately entered the palace and hurriedly arrived at the Chuigong Hall. The Emperor, Chancellor Fan, and General Di were already waiting there, all looking towards the door as if they had been waiting specifically for him.
Fusu felt rather embarrassed about being late. After apologizing, he asked, "How did your discussion go?"
The Emperor said, "It all depends on you, Su'er."
"Me?" Fusu touched his nose: "Of course I advocate taking advantage of the chaos, sending troops to attack Yunzhou, and incorporating the army."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the hall breathed a collective sigh of relief. The Emperor waved his hand and said, "Then let's do as Su'er says. Minister Di, you will lead the troops this time."
Fusu: "?"
He subtly sensed something strange.
"Your Majesty, Master, Lord Di, didn't you discuss this before I came?"
What does "Then listen to what I have to say" mean?
"Of course we discussed it," Fan Zhongyan said. "Your Majesty, I, and General Di all agree to take advantage of the situation and seize Yunzhou. We are just worried that Your Highness may have a backup plan, which might ruin your plans."
"Ahem." Fusu said guiltily, "I don't really have any plans. My plan is just to take it one step at a time."
If you don't understand, shake your father in your dreams.
"Besides, if Heaven offers something and you don't take it, you'll suffer the consequences. The people of Yunzhou have come to us of their own accord, so how can we refuse them?"
“Your Highness, you are being far too modest.” Fan Zhongyan clearly expressed his disbelief: “It was you who sent the Imperial City Guard and the Song army to offer condolences, and it was you who published the article in the newspaper.”
He didn't say the second half of his sentence, but it was already very clear: they had all predicted that the people of Yunzhou would rebel, and this is what they call taking it one step at a time? You're kidding your master!
Fusu: "Uh, I can explain."
The relief and aid to Yunzhou was indeed planned in advance, but writing the article was entirely a result of Wang Anshi's manipulation! As for the Yunzhou people rebelling, it was truly unexpected for Fusu. He originally only intended to cultivate traitors within one prefecture…
But Fan Zhongyan's tone was as firm as a rock and resolute as a hammer, and it was clear that Di Qing and the Emperor did not believe him. In order to maintain a harmonious atmosphere for the discussion, Fusu could only accept the compliment with tears in his eyes: "Alright, it was indeed within my expectations."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor smiled slightly, his lips filled with boundless satisfaction and pride. Although the affairs concerning the Sixteen Prefectures were ultimately decided by the Crown Prince, he, as the Emperor, felt no displeasure at being sidelined: "Then let it be done this way, General Di, please accept the decree."
Di Qing: "Yes."
Fusu instructed, "General Di, please be gentle."
Di Qing reluctantly replied, "Yes."
In any dynasty, it would be a grave taboo for the crown prince and powerful military generals to discuss military matters in front of the emperor. But in the Chui Gong Hall, it happened naturally, like leaves sprouting from a tree.
...It's unbelievable, but Di Qing has gotten used to it.
At least, he didn't seem to be making a fuss.
"And another thing," Fusu said meaningfully, "I've heard that Yunzhou is rich in resources. You should send troops to look around. Maybe they can dig up something like cotton or potatoes?"
Upon hearing the words "cotton" and "potatoes," Di Qing's face immediately tightened, and he solemnly bowed, saying, "Yes." How could he not know? Yunzhou, as the border between Liao and Song, was heavily guarded. Yet, these two things had carved two deep wounds in the hearts of the people of Yunzhou, turning their discontent into a raging torrent that breached the dikes made of mud and stone.
He will definitely search very diligently.
Everything was now ready, awaiting only the triumphant return of Di Qing. Moreover, everyone present knew this was a battle almost certainly won. Unarmed farmers were no match for militarized soldiers. And what of the Song army that had provided them with winter supplies? Would they truly harbor thoughts of resistance?
It can be said that half of Yunzhou's revenue has already come from the Song Dynasty.
Both Di Qing and Fan Zhongyan took their leave. One was going to prepare for the mobilization of troops, while the other was making preparations for the incorporation of Yunzhou into their territory. In an instant, only the father and son remained in the vast and empty Chui Gong Hall.
"I never imagined that we could reclaim one of the sixteen prefectures without losing a single soldier." Emperor Renzong sighed with his hands behind his back, "If I could meet my ancestors, I would have given them my due."
“This is nothing,” Fusu said.
If simply obtaining Yunzhou is considered fulfilling his duty, then what about the northern horses he painstakingly sent Wang Anshi to smuggle, the potatoes and cotton he worked so hard to promote, and the "Seeking Knowledge" newspaper he wrote? Many of these were completely useless!
Emperor Renzong listened to his son's bold words and chuckled with delight. He looked at Fusu for a long while, then suddenly blurted out, "When the time comes for the expedition next year, I will abdicate in favor of Su'er, what do you say?"
Fusu: "..."
Fusu: "…………"
His eyes widened in terror in an instant: "No, Your Majesty, what brings you to this sudden, bizarre idea? What do you mean by bringing this up all of a sudden?"
"You... are you unhappy being the emperor? Has someone upset you?" Fusu asked indirectly.
That was the only answer he could think of. Which emperor who was truly content with his reign would voluntarily abdicate and become the retired emperor? But Emperor Renzong had always acted normally. Could it be... because of him?
As for the idea that the Emperor deliberately tried to put Fusu in a difficult position because of his excessive power and influence over the court, it only flashed through Fusu's mind for a moment. Then it was immediately rejected: impossible, absolutely impossible.
Fusu was willing to use his eight years of father-son relationship to show His Majesty that he was definitely not that kind of person.
So why is that?!
Perhaps because Fusu's struggle was so obvious, the Emperor's tense lips relaxed slightly, and he generously offered his son some explanation: "I was just thinking that when the time comes for the final judgment and the court officials to discuss it, wouldn't I be stealing your credit, Su'er?"
Fusu let out a long "Oh": So that's why... No, this reason is also very unusual!
Because he is now the crown prince and not the emperor, any achievements he makes will be attributed to the emperor. The emperor fears that he might steal his prestigious posthumous title and temple name, so he decided to abdicate and let his son rule?
Fusu pinched his brow with his small hand: "Your Majesty, have you ever thought about what posthumous title you would receive if you abdicated now?"
The official pondered for a moment: "Is it 'benevolence'?"
It is exactly the same as in history.
"That's the problem. Your Majesty, you're already 'benevolent' now. After the Sixteen Prefectures are recovered, you'll be both a scholar and a warrior, and your posthumous title will be incredibly prestigious. If I were to succeed to the throne, my first achievement would be the recovery of the Sixteen Prefectures, and I'd definitely be granted the posthumous title of 'martial'."
At this point, Fusu shuddered: "Emperor Wu of Han, Emperor Wu of Wei, Emperor Wuzong of Tang... I can't handle them."
The official smiled wryly: "And what about King Wu of Zhou?"
Fusu was speechless for a while before finally saying, "Can the rule of the Three Dynasties be compared to the present?"
The emperor didn't say it aloud, but he thought to himself: Judging from Su'er's current achievements, if he can really recover the old territory and revive China, he will be no less than the wise rulers of the three dynasties.
Hmm, it's a pity that Su'er doesn't like to hear praise.
Thinking of this, the Emperor felt a pang of regret: He wondered what posthumous title future generations would bestow upon Su'er? How would historians praise Yang Yun? He longed to live to see it all. Alas, it was destined to remain just a dream.
Fusu had no idea his father was thinking so far ahead. Seeing Emperor Renzong's slightly melancholy expression and silence, he assumed he had been temporarily persuaded and had given up on the idea of abdicating. Fearing that things might change if he delayed, he also ran away in a flash.
Our destination is Kunning Palace.
Logically speaking, Fusu is already eight years old this year and should have moved out of Kunning Palace and lived alone in his own palace long ago. However, there are very few children in the palace. Apart from the ten-year-old Princess Miaowu and the eight-year-old Fusu, there is only one other child, a princess, born to Consort Miao four years ago.
The Emperor and Empress Cao kept silent about living alone, and there was no Empress Dowager in the palace to oversee things. Fusu was also not very familiar with the rules of the Song court, so he lived there in a daze until he was eight years old.
As for Fusu himself, he was quite willing; he didn't have any obsession with living alone. Kunning Palace was the Empress's residence, and her food, clothing, and daily necessities were all of the highest quality. Living here meant he could see the Empress often and talk to her—why wouldn't he be happy?
Today, Fusu returned again, and took the opportunity to inform Empress Cao about the rebellion in Yunzhou. This was tacitly approved by the Emperor, and it was Fusu's duty. From that map onwards, she had contributed greatly to the recovery of the sixteen prefectures, and deserved the privilege of sharing intelligence.
"The rebellion in Yunzhou, and General Di who 'quelled the rebellion'?" Empress Cao repeated, her eyes gleaming. "Then this entire prefecture will be taken into the hands of our Great Song."
She made a similar judgment to that of important court officials.
"Su'er, you truly live up to your reputation."
Fusu scratched his head; he always appreciated praise from his mother. Because Empress Cao understood the principle of moderation, she wouldn't embarrass him with exaggerated words like Su Shi: "So, what are your plans after this? What's the next step?"
"Next, Your Majesty means..."
"The Liao Emperor," Empress Cao said.
"Since the Treaty of Chanyuan, the Song and Liao dynasties have enjoyed peace for a long time. The Yunzhou Incident can be considered the biggest upheaval in these decades. But it was precisely a case of subduing the enemy without fighting. Su'er, what do you think the Liao emperor should do?"
Fusu's brow furrowed slightly.
If he were the Liao emperor... there would only be three paths in front of him.
Sending troops to quell the rebellion in Yunzhou. Given the known presence of Di Qing's Song army, this was tantamount to declaring war on the Song state.
Sending envoys to initiate peace talks is tantamount to tearing up the Treaty of Chanyuan and restarting peace negotiations. At that time, it is still unknown who will send tribute to whom and how much.
To swallow one's anger and pretend nothing happened—that's the literal meaning. But it's hard to say whether this path is one of cowardice or perseverance.
Fusu was the first to assert: "The Liao emperor would never send troops to attack Yunzhou."
"Oh? Why?"
"Western Xia." Fusu immediately replied, "The Liao Dynasty fought a battle with Western Xia last year, which severely weakened the Liao Dynasty. The results were not convincing enough to convince the ministers. He will not launch any more military campaigns for the next few years."
"And then there's this White Disaster. In winter, the troops are exhausted and their horses are weary, making marching difficult. They will at least swallow their anger until the end of winter. By then, General Di will have taken control of the entire Yunzhou region, and the advantage will be in our hands. The Liao Emperor will not have many options left."
Empress Cao looked dazed and seemingly accepting the lesson, but Fusu ruthlessly exposed her: "Your Majesty, you actually already knew, you just wanted to test me, didn't you?"
Fusu didn't believe it. How could someone from a military family, capable of drawing maps by hand, lack even this basic political acumen?
Empress Cao chuckled, no longer bothering to pretend: "Then, Su'er, what do you think the Liao Emperor will choose?"
Fusu frowned, looking somewhat embarrassed, and said, "I don't know."
He didn't know much about the emperors of the Liao Dynasty. At most, he knew a few of the most famous ones, such as Emperor Tianzuo and Yelü Dashi. The Emperor and Fan Gong described this Liao emperor as "a fairly normal person," indicating that he was at least a passable emperor who could make rational decisions and wouldn't act impulsively.
That rules out the possibility of him resorting to force. As for whether to send envoys to negotiate or to swallow our anger, that depends on the emperor's personality, the opinions of the court officials, and the overall strength of the nation.
Even Fusu couldn't have predicted a distance of a thousand miles.
Empress Cao nodded, then changed her question: "How much tribute would the Liao Emperor give our Great Song Dynasty each year before you would agree?"
How much will you give? Are you willing to return it?
That is of course—
"No matter how much you give me, I won't pay it back!" Fusu said.
Yunzhou, which is now Shanxi, what is its most famous product? Coal mines! How many years' worth of currency would it cost to buy them?
Although records of coal use date back to the Han and Tang dynasties, the coal production in Datong, Shanxi, was astronomical, far exceeding the small-scale use by ordinary people as a substitute for firewood.
But Fusu couldn't give away any spoilers. He didn't want to repeat the experience of being surrounded by onlookers because of the potato incident, where he used a false omen to attract attention.
He could only remind Di Qing to be more careful, just in case. The Liao Kingdom possessed a treasure trove but was unaware of it; couldn't the Song Dynasty reclaim it?
Empress Cao, unaware of the true situation, simply believed that Fusu was stubborn and unwilling to yield an inch of territory. This, of course, wasn't necessarily a bad thing. She smiled with a hint of relief: "Yes, and by then, we'll be able to witness the Liao envoys' predicament as they beg for peace."
Her father-in-law, Emperor Zhenzong of Song, was first forced to go to the front lines by Chancellor Kou Zhun, and then compelled to sign a peace treaty with Empress Dowager Xiao. This experience was extremely disgraceful. When she heard about it while she was still a young woman, she was so angry that she broke a writing brush in two.
She thought the Song Dynasty would have to endure humiliation for the rest of its life, but unexpectedly, in middle age, she became pregnant with a precious child, which gave her a glimpse of the hope for the restoration of China in her lifetime.
Empress Cao had never felt so hopeful as she did now. She silently prayed: May General Di's journey be successful.
So, what about Di Qing, who carried the hopes of many people?
It went too smoothly, unbelievably smoothly.
He mustered 10,000 soldiers from the Imperial Guards, but remembering Fusu's instruction to "be gentle," he had to send officers down to persuade them not to massacre the civilians on the other side. However, as soon as the officers spoke, everyone started jeering, "We already knew that!" and "What's going on? Why doesn't the general trust us?"
"Don't worry," a soldier stepped forward and concluded, "We've all read the 'Seeking Knowledge Daily,' and we know His Highness said they were all pitiful people. They're so poor they're just skin and bones, why bother arguing with them?"
"Steal their potatoes? How could we? Aren't we tired of that yet?"
Because of the potato's cold and drought resistance and its excessively high yield, Fusu promoted its widespread cultivation throughout the Song Dynasty. The three-year period had ended, coinciding with a bumper potato harvest, and granaries across the land were overflowing with clods of earth. The Imperial Guards were practically eating three meals a day, and were starting to feel bloated. Stealing potatoes from Yunzhou? They must be out of their minds.
Upon hearing the report from below, Di Qing was reassured and ordered his men to pack a large quantity of potatoes as relief supplies.
His thinking was simple: His Highness the Crown Prince said to be gentler with the people of Yunzhou and try to win their hearts, so he would pave the way with grain. As someone who had once been from the lower class, Di Qing knew best that as long as he could get grain, the people wouldn't cause trouble.
In addition, he ordered some cotton-padded clothes to be packed. Cotton is not as widely produced as potatoes, making it a scarce commodity. Therefore, Di Qing did not take too much, intending to distribute it only to those who were severely cold and on the verge of starvation.
He marched north with the posture of a benevolent army. Despite the continuous snow and wind along the way, the soldiers' morale was still quite good thanks to the ample supplies.
Even more conveniently, once they arrived at the first city, all they had to do was display the "Song" banner from afar and set up camp a mile outside the city. Within an hour, the city gates would be wide open.
Di Qing: I have never fought such an easy battle.
This military merit came too easily.
No, on second thought, my own ease only served to highlight how well and how difficult the Crown Prince's preparations had been. If the Song Dynasty had suffered a snow disaster in previous years, would we have had enough food? Enough clothes? Where would we have found the resources to concoct sugar-coated bullets to smear the other side?
"Give a peach, receive a jade in return." The people of Yunzhou had shown their loyalty, and Di Qing naturally wasn't going to be outdone. When he sent troops into the city, the first to enter were surprisingly the logistics personnel—those transporting potatoes and cotton clothing.
Then, escorted by imposing, gleaming elite soldiers, they adopted a posture of politeness before resorting to force: "These are of course meant for you, but anyone who dares to rob us will first be met with a spear forged from iron."
The common people were all pragmatic. When there was a way to survive, no one would fight against weapons. But they were also reluctant to leave, following the army all the way, their eyes practically shining as they looked at the potatoes in the baskets.
"Is that for me to eat?"
So many? All of them?
"The Song army is far too generous, isn't it? Unlike the Liao people, bah, they're really no good."
The north and south had been separated for nearly a century, and their accents had changed considerably. At least the Song army found the people of Yunzhou to speak in a rough and awkward way, with a very strange accent.
However, they understood all the key words: "The Song army is generous," "The Liao dynasty is stingy," and "They are living too well."
Isn't that wonderful?
The Emperor and His Highness provide us with food and clothing, and even send scholars—future high-ranking officials—to read the newspapers to us. Do you receive such treatment? You treat a few rotten potatoes that you're tired of eating like treasures.
Many Song soldiers secretly straightened their backs. When it came time to distribute grain at the government office, they were no longer stingy, their hands no longer trembled, and they distributed potatoes with great gusto. They were afraid that if they weren't generous enough, the Liao people would think they were living a hard life.
Di Qing then dispatched troops to provide relief in the countryside: although the people in the city didn't have enough food, at least they were still properly clothed. Those who couldn't afford clothes were mostly in the countryside. With Apu and the others having scouted the area beforehand, the routes were readily available.
News of the Song army's arrival spread like wildfire, quickly reaching several cities in Yunzhou. Their journey of "opening the gates to the Song army" proceeded more and more smoothly.
On the tenth day after the army entered the country, a somewhat unique message came from the sixth city that Di Qing had successfully captured.
It was delivered by a soldier sent by Di Qing to the countryside.
"Reporting to the General, when I went to provide relief, I noticed that in one village, the snow layer was very thick, yet the damage was much less severe than in other places. Strangely, they had not received any food or cotton-padded coats from the Song Dynasty."
Di Qing asked in confusion, "Why is that?"
The man said, "I was also very puzzled. Only after asking in detail did I learn that the people in this village go to the nearby mountains in winter to burn a kind of black stone called 'stone dust,' which has a similar effect to firewood, and the whole village was spared because of this."
Di Qing's heart skipped a beat. The Crown Prince's words suddenly echoed in his ears: "What if Yunzhou also has good things like cotton and potatoes?"
He took a deep breath, and when he opened his eyes again, his tattooed face had calmed down.
Then, without hesitation, he handed over the task of advancing forward to his adjutant. He actually gave up the military merit that was within his grasp, determined to go to that village and find out the truth about the black burning stones.
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Author's note: I'll try Saturday nights in September. If it doesn't work, then never mind. [doge emoji with rose in hand]
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