Chapter 134 Di Qing: Hiss, Your Highness the Crown Prince is afraid…
"Should we fight?" the official asked.
"Should we fight?" Fan Zhongyan and the others looked at each other in bewilderment.
These men seemed completely unaware that the Song Dynasty still had the option of "taking the initiative." After all, even the Song Dynasty itself admitted that Yunzhou was a product of perfect timing, location, and popular support; the Song army's victory was more like a collection of heads rather than a direct, hard-fought battle. Such a coincidence was unlikely to happen again.
Seeing this, Fusu originally intended to spend more time analyzing the current situation between the two countries to reassure the Emperor and his master. However, the Emperor and Fan Zhongyan exchanged glances for a while before calming down.
The former beckoned to the eunuch: "Go and see if Minister Di is in the government office. Or he may be in the Imperial Guard camp. Go and bring him to the Chui Gong Hall, and tell him that I have something to discuss with him."
As luck would have it, Di Qing was indeed there.
Because of his merit in conquering Yunzhou last year, his fiefdom increased by more than a thousand households, making him the undisputed number one military general of the Song Dynasty. Furthermore, because of his close personal relationships with the Crown Prince and Prime Minister Fan, the court officials generally dared not keep a close eye on him. This spring was a time when people are in high spirits and full of joy.
It seemed the eunuch had come to the government office to summon him, but he was still wondering what the emperor wanted to see him about.
He graciously instructed the eunuch: "May I ask..."
Instead of answering, the eunuch asked, "What is the general doing in the government office, not the imperial guards' camp?"
Di Qing was taken aback: "The horses in the southwest have given birth, and I'm counting them."
The eunuch nodded: "You might as well bring these along as well."
Di Qing immediately understood. Seeing the Crown Prince and the impressive entourage of Fan Zhongyan, Fu Bi, and Ouyang Xiu in the Chui Gong Hall, he showed no surprise. He calmly bowed to each of them and took his seat.
Fusu stared at his hands with great interest: "What is that you are holding, General?"
"Your Highness, this is about the situation at the Southwest Horse Ranch."
In front of Emperor Renzong, Di Qing openly showed the confidential intelligence he held to Fusu. The Emperor also showed curiosity, but instead of letting Fusu give it to him first, he sat at the head of the table and asked with a prying look, "How is it? How many calves have been born?"
Fan Zhongyan and the others were startled instead.
The court officials had all heard about the emperor's horse-breeding activities. It was said that the Imperial City Guard was involved in everything from the selection and transportation of the horses to their training. Because it was a matter of state secrets, ordinary court officials were not qualified to inquire about it.
Fan Zhongyan, having secured his position as prime minister, knew more. He knew the horse farm was located in the high mountains of Guangyuan Prefecture in the southwest. The mountain climate was cold, suitable for the survival of fine northern breeds. In the next year or two, bred horses would be sent to the Imperial Guard for the cavalry to train.
Now, Di Qing naturally presented all the materials to His Highness the Crown Prince first, not the Emperor. He was not one to overstep his bounds. Could it be that the matter of raising horses was related to His Highness the Crown Prince? Or perhaps, it was all his doing?!
Fusu's words refuted Fan Zhongyan's speculation.
He said with great joy, "I have good taste; all the seeds I picked have grown up."
Fan Zhongyan and others: It really is!?
The emperor was even more eager to hear it: "Really?"
"Really, really."
As Fusu handed the documents to the official, he kindly explained to the bewildered Fan Zhongyan and his companions: "Five years ago, I accidentally discovered a smuggling route on the Liao-Song border. I asked Lord Wang to investigate. It turned out that in addition to people, the smuggling route could also transport fine horses from the north. So we raised some money from the Chai family and bought a large number of horses to raise in the horse farms in the southwest. Oh right, Yunzhou was the place that let us have the most horses back then."
That's why Yunzhou was captured so easily. It had been slowly infiltrated and turned into a sieve.
Fan Zhongyan: "What about the Chai family?"
"It's the Chai family from the previous dynasty."
Fusu couldn't help but smile knowingly, recalling the old story of the Chai family servants trying to snatch his father as their son-in-law through the imperial examination results. Back then, when their head of the household, Chai Yong, learned the truth, he acted as if the sky had fallen and he was filled with endless fear. But as soon as he heard that he could sponsor the Northern Expedition, he instantly perked up again.
Later, he sent a large sum of money, and the officials also took some from their own private treasury, allowing Wang Anshi to go all out and make large-scale purchases. It wasn't until Wang Anshi bought up all the horses that could be stolen in Yunzhou, and the horse farms in the southwest were almost full, that the matter came to an end.
Later, after Chai Yong proved himself trustworthy, Fusu sent him to the Northwest to oversee horse breeding. After all, Fusu had paid for it; he couldn't just let him look at the accounts, he needed to see the actual output to feel at ease.
"The client in terms of status, the service provider in terms of responsibility," Xiao Fusu said.
Fan Zhongyan, upon hearing this, revealed a knowing expression. The Chai family, descendants of Chai Rong, had become more trustworthy than other families because the Zhao family had seized their inheritance. Since even the slightest disturbance could be reported by those with ulterior motives, they needed to be even more diligent in proving their loyalty and innocence.
Although, cough cough, it's a bit unethical, but it's really useful. Fan Zhongyan, who has an infinite filter for his future lord and current disciple, praised: "Your Highness's move is indeed brilliant."
"It's nothing, it's nothing."
Fusu thought Fan Zhongyan was praising him for his skill in attracting private capital. He had no idea about the deeper, more cunning aspect.
Because the Chai family wasn't one he carefully selected; he just stumbled upon it while trying to find a son-in-law!
The official, who was intently reviewing the horse intelligence, peeked out from behind layers of white paper. After overhearing the conversation between the two, he wore a look that was hard to describe.
Silly Su'er, Fan Qing wasn't praising you. No, he was praising you, but it wasn't what you think at all!
Emperor Renzong gave a helpless smile.
My heart softened completely.
Oh dear, this child is incredibly clever when it comes to important matters, but why is he so clueless about trivial things?
The official, out of goodwill, chose not to expose him. After a moment, he composed himself and looked at Di Qing with a serious expression: "Minister Di, this document says that 80% of the fine horses born from the initial batch of stallions are now usable. Is this true or false?"
Di Qing: "Your Majesty, it's pretty much correct."
Generally speaking, it takes a full four to five years for a horse to go from birth to being used. The current cycle is exactly from breeding to maturity.
However, warhorses cannot be used immediately after being trained; they require careful training and integration with the soldiers. Cavalrymen also need to develop a tacit understanding with their warhorses and become familiar with the techniques of mounted combat.
Therefore, starting last year, the first batch of mature warhorses was transported from Guangyuan Prefecture to the army in Bianjing. This year, another batch of warhorses is ready for use. The arrival of these two batches of warhorses has brought the Song army's cavalry to an unprecedented level, surpassing even the number before the Song-Xia War.
"In other words, this is the time when the Song army is most capable of fighting against the north," Fan Zhongyan said. "We must make the most of it."
Hearing this pleasant surprise, he finally felt more confident about fighting in the north. He also understood why His Highness the Crown Prince spoke with such conviction about "taking the initiative to fight."
"Huh?" Fusu was taken aback: "Then why did you all have no objections when I said I wanted to fight and just summoned General Di?"
What else could it be?
The Emperor, Fan Zhongyan, and the others stared at him speechlessly.
Fusu finally realized what was happening and pointed to himself: "Just because...did I say it?"
Yeah, what else?
He was immediately at a loss for words: "Don't have so much faith in me. This involves the fate of the Song Dynasty."
If we actively provoke war and then lose, the Song Dynasty will truly face the crisis of national subjugation! At that time, even a god couldn't save it.
Ouyang Xiu spoke a fair word that accurately hit the nail on the head regarding the mindset of the rest of the group: "It's not that we blindly follow you, Your Highness, but that you... have succeeded so many times that people dare not disbelieve you."
Everyone nodded in agreement: Yes, yes.
"What?!" Fusu protested loudly. "We must proceed based on facts. Empiricism is unacceptable."
However, among those present, only Fan Zhongyan was truly accomplished in both literature and military affairs, possessing both a thorough understanding of history and experience in defending the northwestern frontier. Considering his previous life defending against the Xiongnu in Shangzhou, Fusu could also be considered a comparable figure.
Both of them concluded that if they could fight this battle, the chances of winning would be quite high.
So… Fusu raised his head: “But this time, I think you should trust me.”
"Alright," the official said, "then let's take the initiative."
His gaze fell upon the map spread out before him: "We are determined to reclaim Shuozhou, Yingzhou, and Wuzhou from the Song Dynasty."
Emperor Renzong always presented himself as benevolent and kind. Even when facing envoys from neighboring countries, he was gentle and polite, even asking if they needed to summon the imperial physician. But when he said this, his eyes shone with a captivating light, which secretly startled Fusu.
He knew that the Emperor was generally easy to talk to, but on a very few matters, once he made up his mind, he was unshakeable, and no one could persuade him. In his previous life, those "very few matters" might have been the transgression of etiquette involving the "two empresses, one dead and one alive," but in this life…
That is, to reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun.
——
After the emperor made the final decision, the court was thrown into a flurry of activity.
In short: those who give orders to fight only need to give orders, but those who make preparations have to consider many more things.
Warhorses from the southwestern horse farms need to be transported to the capital for training and integration with the cavalry. Surplus grain from granaries across the country will be transported to the capital and converted into military rations. Weapons and supplies also need to be re-invented, with old stock being replaced with new...
Every single thing in this matter is inextricably linked to Fusu's inventions, so he's indispensable everywhere. These days, he's been spinning like a top, being tossed around by various government departments. Running from one place to another.
By the way, it's worth mentioning that the latter two things went exceptionally smoothly because of one of Fusu's inventions.
That is—coal.
Coal, also known as "stone coal," was not highly valued by the Song people initially. However, after Fusu brought back local specialties from Yunzhou, the Song Dynasty's native stone coal mines became highly sought after. In addition to honeycomb briquettes, Fusu also pioneered simple processes such as coal washing to improve purity.
Thus, in some coal mines with exceptionally high quality, premium anthracite coal emerged. Its most widespread use was not in residential heating, but in iron ore mines.
Students with a strong theoretical foundation, or experienced blacksmiths, know that a certain temperature is essential for producing high-quality steel. However, the temperature of firewood as fuel has an upper limit; no matter how powerful the blast furnace or how much air is forced through, the result will be the same.
But coal is different. Its theoretical maximum temperature can reach over a thousand degrees Celsius, and even mediocre coal performs better than firewood. The iron ore refined from it is visibly more abundant and harder, making it a good material for weaponry.
On the other side, there was mashed potatoes with salt and sauce, a dish originally invented by Fusu and highly praised by the Imperial Guards. However, they encountered a problem when choosing a container to serve it.
The most suitable plastic was not yet available in the Song Dynasty. Using ceramic containers would be too heavy, which would defeat the original intention of making military rations simple and lightweight. What about cloth bags? Mashed potatoes are powdery and sandy, which would easily stick to the cloth, making it both unhygienic and wasteful.
Once iron was mass-produced, a solution was finally found. Tin cans, let's go for it! Because of the large number of soldiers, the tin cans here weren't the small ones of later generations, but enormous ones, reaching up to Fusu's chest. After being made, they were filled with mashed potatoes and carried on the back by the skilled Yunnan horses—just the right amount.
This large tin can, filled with mashed potatoes, was enough to feed a soldier for more than half a month. Each meal was served with different condiments, allowing for a variety of flavors. The raw material was still potatoes, which were inexpensive and produced in large quantities. This was many times more economical than before.
After the taste test, it received high praise from Di Qing and the other officers and soldiers of the Imperial Guard.
Fusu was overjoyed: "Then let's settle on that!"
He gave the order to the Ministry of War to produce more tin cans. After all, these cans could be reused after being opened. Iron has good thermal conductivity, making it perfect for boiling water.
The fuel for boiling water will, of course, be honeycomb briquettes. When the army passes through Yunzhou, they can also ask the magistrates of each county for some along the way. Perfect plan.
Fusu, hands on his hips, wiped his face: "Alas, without these inventions that advance the times, he really wouldn't have had the confidence to fight the Liao army head-on. Father was right after all; if the two sides are evenly matched, the defender will definitely win."
Only when one possesses an absolute advantage can the attacking side fight desperately for a chance of victory. In the Qin Dynasty, the advantage lay in the overwhelming superiority of its soldiers. By the time of the Song Dynasty, the quality of its soldiers was at best a 50/50 split, so the Song Dynasty sought solutions from a material perspective.
When it came to things... Fusu actually hesitated a bit.
Why don't you try that thing?
gunpowder?
The method of making gunpowder is actually not complicated. Although he mentioned it to Su Zhen and said that he did not know how to make it, the mnemonic "one part sulfur, two parts saltpeter, three parts charcoal" is deeply ingrained in people's minds. Even if the proportions are not exactly accurate, they are close enough. Following the instructions, one can always produce the finished product.
His hesitation stemmed from the fact that he didn't know if he could shoulder the responsibility of transforming the world from the age of cold weapons to the age of firearms.
Perhaps it was the Song Dynasty's unstoppable victory after victory. Or perhaps it was the deaths of millions, and the heartbreaking cries of countless families.
what to do.
Do you want to use it? Do you want to try it?
Fusu stood there, lost in deep thought. Normally, no one would disturb him at such times, fearing that a casual remark would interrupt the workings of his brilliant mind. But this time was different. Because of important news, the eunuch had to steel himself, pat him on the shoulder, and whisper:
"Your Highness... Your Highness..."
Fusu jolted awake, suddenly realizing what was happening: "What is it? Does His Majesty want to see me?"
The eunuch breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that he hadn't interrupted His Highness's important thoughts. He then spoke of the message he had to convey: "His Majesty has sent me to inform you that the Liao envoy has departed."
Fusu: "Oh." And then?
The eunuch added, "His Majesty said that the envoy's expression was very strange when he left, as if he had something else planned."
Is there another plan? That's impossible.
Fusu thought to himself.
It's early March in the lunar calendar, and the Liao Kingdom is currently undertaking its fourth major migration of the year. Moving from the south to the warmer north is also a way of inspecting their territory. Plus, they just suffered a defeat against the Western Xia last year, so how could they possibly have the time to deal with counterfeiting?
Wait, no, the Western Xia?
Could it be that... the Western Xia was Liao's backup plan?
The Western Xia was originally a vassal state of the Liao Dynasty, but Li Yuanhao later declared it a kingdom. The Liao Dynasty was always resentful of the Western Xia's independence and constantly tried to force them to submit. Both were semi-nomadic, semi-agricultural states, and both had Buddhism as their state religion. They were culturally very similar.
To use an imperfect analogy, these two are like heretics fighting each other within a religion. But compared to them, the Song Dynasty is an outright heretic. If the Song Dynasty were to attack the Liao Dynasty, would the Western Xia seize the opportunity to strike back at Liao or Song?
It is the Song Dynasty.
Just like when the Song and Xia dynasties went to war, the Liao dynasty pretended to stand by and watch, but still extorted money from the Song without any hesitation.
The mere thought of this possibility made Fusu's breathing become lighter. Just imagine, what if the Song army, full of confidence, were attacked from behind by the Western Xia?
He immediately returned to the palace to see the Emperor and discussed this terrible possibility with him. The Emperor was taken aback at first, then hesitated: "...Isn't that unlikely?"
"The Liao Dynasty was the suzerain state, and the Western Xia was its former vassal state. The Liao ruler might not be willing to lower his head," he said.
"If the Liao Kingdom were to launch a full-scale invasion southwards, and the Song Dynasty were to face imminent danger, requiring you to endure humiliation and bow your head to the Dali Kingdom for help, would you be willing?" Fusu asked.
The Emperor's fingers suddenly clenched his sleeves, for this terrible hypothetical situation. His face was extremely pale, and after a long while, he finally uttered a resolute but difficult sound from his throat: "I will."
“You are a good monarch who cares for all the people under heaven,” Fusu said softly. “But the Liao emperor is not incompetent either. So we need to assume that he is.”
The official sighed, "Su'er, you're right."
Seeing that Fusu's expression suddenly hardened, he knew that Fusu had already come up with a solution: "What are your thoughts? What do you need me to do?"
“We need to prepare for both possibilities,” Fusu said. “If the Western Xia wants to attack us, they can’t just launch a direct assault. They only need to wait in ambush and set a trap. As long as the Song army is caught off guard and falls into the trap, they will suffer heavy losses.”
"By then, we will have no chance to send troops to Western Xia again, as that would mean fighting on two fronts. However, our existing forces will be weakened and we will be unable to conquer them after a prolonged siege. We will have no choice but to sound the retreat, and the Liao Kingdom's crisis will be resolved."
"But there's no such thing as a thousand days of guarding against thieves," the official said. "Before we meet them, no one knows what tricks the Western Xia will pull. We're afraid that before they even make a move, our constant vigilance will exhaust us."
"Therefore, we need to prepare for both possibilities," Fusu repeated.
Is it fate?
Or is it just an excuse that I can convince myself of?
"Once we discover that we have been ambushed by the Western Xia, we must strike back hard so that they will never dare to do it again."
The opportunity for gunpowder to enter the historical stage thus quietly fell into our hands.
Fusu made up his mind in an instant: "Your Majesty, please keep an eye on the military rations and supplies for me. I may be away for a while."
After saying that, he turned and left.
"Wait, Su'er, where are you going?" The Emperor looked up and asked in a confused voice.
"Let's go cheat!"
——
Bang.
Bang bang bang.
Accompanied by several faint sounds, thick smoke rose from the rolling green hills outside Bianjing City. Passersby who noticed it stopped in curiosity.
"What happened? Was the mountain struck by lightning?"
"It looks like it, but there hasn't been any thunder recently."
"No, look, isn't that the place where the potato was found, the place of auspiciousness?"
"Wow, it really is!"
"Then it's not surprising. Let's go. Maybe some auspicious omen will appear again."
The people in the town only whispered a few words, not really caring. But in that area billowing with thick smoke, the local elders and residents, witnessing the scene before them, were on the verge of tears: Heavens, what good has their village done? How could their ancestral graves receive such auspicious blessings twice? How could they summon such good fortune twice?
The enormous craters blasted open before them, the deafening roar—all exceeded their wildest imaginations. What else could it be but a relic of a divine intervention?
There was also a child with a lovely, fair face but a face covered in dirt and grime. They recognized him too—it was their dignified Crown Prince of the Great Song Dynasty!
"Cough cough..." Fusu waved his hand, and seeing that everyone was stunned and didn't react, he said in a hoarse voice, still half-eaten with dirt, "Water, I want to drink water..."
"Oh, oh, oh." Liang Huaiji, equally stunned, immediately pulled out a water bottle from his waist and, supporting the Crown Prince's back, watched him slowly drink. Taking advantage of Fusu's momentary lapse in attention, he subtly rubbed his fingers together. Hmm, so it's just a mortal body? How did it manage to make such a loud noise just now?
Fusu immediately realized this and explained helplessly, "I didn't expect it to be so powerful."
One part sulfur, two parts saltpeter, and three parts charcoal. Fearing that the raw materials he had collected were not of sufficient quality and the explosion effect would be poor, he deliberately added a little more, stuffed it into the paper shell, and ignited it.
I never expected the effect to be so devastating.
Seeing the disbelief on everyone's faces, he didn't bother to explain further. After all, there was a reason he chose the village where the potatoes had fallen.
By using the auspicious name of gunpowder, the extremely simple proportions and structure of the gunpowder were concealed, and it was used only on the battlefield, delaying the time for those with ulterior motives to use it to cause damage.
This was the best solution Fusu could think of.
Fortunately, the gunpowder balls were powerful enough that not every Song soldier needed one, lest they be accidentally used and cause non-combat casualties.
The commander only needs to stockpile a few; when encountering the Western Xia, throwing them out will create a devastating explosion. The deterrent effect is astonishing, especially on people, and even more so on horses.
At that point, even if the Western Xia wanted to continue their attack, their horses would never obey orders again. Their plan was completely thwarted. It was only natural for the Song army to seize the opportunity to counterattack and invade Western Xia territory.
Tell General Di about this plan quietly.
No, it would be better to invite him here in person to witness it.
So, a month later, as Di Qing set off on his campaign, the Emperor and his officials went out of the city to see him off. Di Qing accepted everyone's cup of wine and drank it all in one gulp. Only when he accepted Fusu's cup did his hand tremble and spill two drops.
Seeing this, Fusu blinked innocently.
Well... he didn't do it on purpose.
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Author's Note: Di Qing: Hiss, His Highness the Crown Prince is terrifying!
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