Killed
Yue Fei went to Chuzhou, and Liang Hongyu told him that one of the conditions for Wanyan Zongbing's peace talks was to kill him. In order to prevent his family from being harmed, he resigned from the post of Deputy Privy Councilor to Zhao Gou after returning to Lin'an, and then took his family to Jiangzhou to live in seclusion. Even so, Qin Hui had no intention of letting him go.
Qin Hui was secretly released by Da Talai in his early years. This was a secret known to all the high-ranking officials of the Jin Dynasty. Talai released Qin Hui back to the south so that he could act as an agent for the Jin Dynasty in peace negotiations and make the Southern Song Dynasty his foreign aid in launching a coup and seizing the throne in the future. After Talai's rebellion was leaked, he was executed.
Qin Hui was afraid that Wanyan Zongbing would leak the matter to Zhao Gou. In order to stabilize Wanyan Zongbing, he hoped that the two countries would reach a peace agreement, and even surrender the Southern Song Dynasty in exchange for the Jin rulers continuing to keep the secret, so that he could continue to serve as the prime minister of peace in the Southern Song Dynasty.
This unspeakable secret was exactly the same as Zhao Gou's desire not to have the Jin people release Emperor Qinzong Zhao Huan. So the two men tacitly agreed and, despite opposition from their ministers, insisted on peace talks and killing Yue Fei.
On this day, Yue Fei was summoned to the palace. As soon as he entered the palace, he was taken to the Dali Temple prison by the imperial guards.
The blue brick floor of the courtroom was covered with shallow water marks. Chief Censor He Zhu sat upright in the courtroom, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the edge of the case file, which contained Wang Jun's false accusation and Zhang Jun's forged testimony of Zhang Xian.
"Bring the prisoner!"
Amid the harsh sound of iron chains dragging on the ground, Yue Fei walked in wearing a 40-jin yoke. He Zhu's breath hitched: this marshal who once terrified the Jin people was now so thin that only a skeleton could support his prison clothes, and only his straight spine still supported a little bit of military prestige.
"Wang Jun accused you of conspiring with Zhang Xian to mutiny." He Zhu read with difficulty, "Zhang Xian has confessed that he wanted to help you regain military power..."
He Zhu slammed the gavel: "Tell the truth!"
As the candlelight crackled, Yue Fei suddenly tore his prison uniform. His torture-scarred back revealed the indigo characters "Serve the Country with Loyalty." The ink sank deep into his flesh, rising and falling with his breathing. A fresh branding wound pierced the character "国," and maggots crawled through the festering wound.
"This was embroidered by my mother in the fourth year of the Xuanhe era, using an embroidery needle dipped in ink." His voice was calm, as if he were discussing someone else's affairs. "Master He, please examine it. Is there a single stroke that shows the characters written backwards?"
He Zhu saw countless scars overlapping between the words, the most striking of which was the fresh whip mark on the word "loyalty", which was caused by the torture instrument he had personally used three days ago.
The gavel slipped from his trembling hands. The scab-covered Chinese character "国" (country) on Yue Fei's back cracked, and drops of blood trickled down his spine, like the crumbling borders of the Song Dynasty.
"Retreat... retreat!" He turned suddenly and tore at the front of his official robes. "Take the prisoner to jail!"
As the yamen runners approached to drag him, Yue Fei suddenly burst into laughter. His laughter shook the plaque on the beam that read "A Bright Mirror Hanging High" to dust, and the four golden characters were reflected in the pool of blood, casting a distorted shadow.
That night, He Zhu burst into Qin Hui's residence and said, "Prime Minister Qin! The enemy is still strong, and killing a general for no reason will only chill the hearts of the soldiers and cause them to lose morale. This is not a long-term solution to revive the country. I beg you to reconsider."
Qin Hui looked at him with a gloomy look when he heard this. "If you don't try him, someone else will."
The following day, the presiding judge was replaced by Wanqi Xie, a man Yue Fei had met while serving as the pacification envoy to Jinghu, where he had been ordered to suppress bandits in the Yuan and Xiang regions. Yue Fei had always disdained Wanqi Xie due to his poor character, and Wanqi Xie harbored a grudge against him, forcing a feud between the two. With Qin Hui's authorization, Wanqi Xie, unwilling to miss any opportunity to persecute Yue Fei, concocted several charges, including "pointing at the carriage" and "sitting back to watch the outcome of a battle," and sentenced Yue Fei to death.
In the gloomy prison, the moonlight illuminated the bloodstains on Yue Fei's clothes. A faint fishy smell was oozing out, much like the blood that flowed across the Imperial Street when Kaifeng City fell twelve years ago.
Yue Fei smashed the pottery bowl and picked up a shard. As the fragment lodged itself in his finger bone, he suddenly remembered the first time he held a gun: a similarly piercing pain, accompanied by the muffled sound of flesh being torn apart. But the blood of the young man from Tangyin back then was shed to recover the country, but now, that blood would be used to write his final words on the cold prison walls.
"Man Jiang Hong: Writing My Feelings"
His hair was standing on end with anger, and he leaned against the railing as the rain stopped.
He raised his eyes, looked up to the sky and let out a long cry, his heart filled with lofty sentiments.
Thirty years of fame and glory are dust and dirt, eight thousand miles of journey are clouds and moon.
Don’t wait until your hair turns white in your youth and then feel regretful.
The shame of Jingkang has not yet been avenged.
When will the hatred of the ministers be eliminated?
Drive a long car and break through the Helan Mountain Pass.
With great ambition, I would eat the flesh of the barbarians when I am hungry, and drink the blood of the Huns when I am thirsty.
Wait until the beginning, rebuild the old mountains and rivers, and face the sky.
When he finished writing the last three words, he collapsed in a pool of blood, looking at the word "Tianque" and laughing. It turned out that his lifelong loyalty and bravery was rewarded with the guillotine.
His hair was disheveled, his eyes bloodshot. Suddenly, he raised his head and roared, "Mother, do you see this? This is the Song Dynasty you asked me to serve. Even though I, Yue Fei, have lived a life of loyalty and bravery, and the Yue Family Army has been invincible, I cannot save this Song Dynasty, which is rotten to the core."
At first light, the jailer discovered the wall had been stained ochre with blood. The complete "Man Jiang Hong" gleamed a dark red in the morning sun, its ravines filled with shredded bones and flesh. These shocking, blood-stained words resembled a shattered map of the mountains and rivers.
News of Yue Fei's imprisonment and conviction spread quickly throughout Lin'an. Dali Temple officials Li Ruopu, He Yanqiu, and others firmly believed Yue Fei was innocent and vigorously argued against Wan Qixie, ultimately leading to Qin Hui's dismissal. Liu Yunsheng, unofficial and without official title, petitioned to redress Yue Fei's injustice, but was subsequently executed by Dali Temple Deputy Minister Wan Qixie.
In Lin'an in December, a chilly wind whipped fine snowflakes across the bluestone pavement and the weathered face of Han Shizhong. Though retired and shorn of his military uniform, Han Shizhong wore only an ordinary, worn robe. His upright back and heroic expression still evoked the demeanor of the once powerful commander. Since his dismissal from office, he had remained closed to visitors, detached from worldly affairs.
At this moment, a heavy layer of worry and anger enveloped him. The news of Yue Fei's imprisonment made him unable to sit still any longer. Today, he had to go and get the truth.
There were few carriages and horses in front of Qin Hui's residence, which made it look even more solemn.
Han Shizhong was led to the flower hall to wait. The fireplace inside was burning brightly, a world away from the icy and snowy outside. The lingering scent of sandalwood and the elegant decor evoked a strange feeling of suffocation and oppression.
After a long while, Qin Hui slowly walked out. He was dressed in a purple robe, holding a warm stove in his hands, his face was pale and his expression was calm, even with the slightest hint of a smile.
"Brother Han, how come you have time to visit my humble home today?" Qin Hui spoke in a slow tone, as if he was just greeting an ordinary old friend.
Han Shizhong was in no mood for small talk. He stood up abruptly, his gaze fixed on Qin Hui. "Prime Minister Qin! Let's not talk about this. I only have one question today: What crime did Yue Pengju commit? Why was he imprisoned?"
Qin Hui's smile faltered for a moment, then returned to normal. Avoiding Han Shizhong's scorching gaze, he walked to the window, watching the falling snow. "Brother Han, why are you so angry? This matter...is not for you and me to discuss. This is the will of the Lord."
"The emperor's will?" Han Shizhong stepped forward, his voice suddenly raised. "Even if it's the emperor's will, there must be evidence! Yue Shaobao is loyal to his country and has made many outstanding achievements. Everyone in the world knows this! How can he be arrested without reason? What exactly happened? As the prime minister, you should know!"
Qin Hui turned around, the false smile on his face fading, replaced by a bottomless indifference and a subtle impatience. He looked at the brave general in front of him, who could be compared with Yue Fei, and knew his temper well, knowing that he could not get away with perfunctory treatment.
He was silent for a moment, the only sound in the hall being the crackling of the charcoal fire. Finally, he opened his lips slightly and uttered three words:
"It's groundless."
These three words sounded light, but they hit Han Shizhong's heart like a heavy hammer.
"False accusation?" Han Shizhong was stunned for a moment, and then, boundless anger erupted in his body like a volcano, and his voice exploded like thunder in this warm and exquisite flower hall:
"Prince Qin! How can you convince the world with the three words 'no need to mention'?!"
The dust on the beams was shaken and fell. This question was not only for Yue Fei, but also for all the soldiers fighting on the front lines, and for all people in the world who still have justice in their hearts!
Qin Hui was so shocked by this thunderous rage that he took a half step back, his expression darkening. He might have anticipated Han Shizhong's displeasure, but he hadn't expected such a fierce and decisive reaction. His eyes flickered, a hint of sinister intent flashing across them, but he ultimately refrained from refutation or explanation. Those three words were the fullest answer he could offer.
Han Shizhong stared at Qin Hui, his expression apathetic yet threatening. The last shred of hope in his heart was shattered. Sadness, anger, helplessness, contempt… all sorts of emotions mingled within him.
He swung his robe sleeves and strode away, lifting the heavy door curtains and sending a sharp, cold wind through the room, dispersing the sandalwood incense.
The snow fell harder. Han Shizhong walked alone on the cold streets of Lin'an, his back erect yet utterly lonely. At that moment, he seemed to glimpse his own fate. The Song generals, whether Yue Fei, who had once shaken the Jin army, or himself, the mighty and powerful, would be drowned in the turbulent midsection of the Song Dynasty.
In the winter of the eleventh year of Shaoxing, the cold wind in Lin'an seemed even more biting than in previous years, whimpering through the streets, stirring up scattered snowflakes that slapped the tense faces of passers-by. Like the gloomy weather, the news of Yue Fei's death seeped into every household in Lin'an.
Inside a modest shanty house on the shores of West Lake, incense offerings were few and far between. Inside the meditation room, Han Shizhong, having shed his official uniform and donned casual clothes, came to meet the abbot.
The old host opposite him remained silent and just pushed a cup of coarse tea in front of him.
"Master," Han Shizhong's voice was hoarse, as if it had been rubbed with sandpaper. "This matter... is fraught with danger and difficulty. The slightest mistake will lead to the annihilation of our entire family. But Yue Pengju... his body cannot be left exposed in the wild, becoming a wandering ghost! I, Han, am in danger now, with countless eyes watching. I can only beg Master, for mercy..."
The old host clasped his hands together, sighed deeply, and tears glistened in his eyes. "General Han, there's no need to say more. Young Master Yue's loyalty to his country is known to all the world. Although I'm a layman, I understand the meaning of loyalty and righteousness. Shanzhuang has accepted this matter. We must find a fine nanmu tree and a quiet place for General Yue to rest in peace."
Han Shizhong suddenly closed his eyes, and two lines of tears finally rolled down. He stood up and bowed deeply to the old host.
A few days later, outside Lin'an City, the ancient road was desolate.
A group of escorting officers and soldiers shouted impatiently as they herded several scantily clad women and children, strapped to heavy wooden shackles, onto the road. Yue Fei's wife, Li Wa, and their young children were about to embark on a journey of exile to the barbaric land of Huizhou, thousands of miles away. Li Wa's face was as pale as paper, but her eyes were remarkably calm.
The cold wind blew up dust, blinding people's eyes.
Suddenly, a humble carriage with a green canopy stopped by the roadside. The curtains opened, and a woman in a plain cloak quickly stepped out. Liang Hongyu ignored the soldiers' vigilant gazes and walked straight up to Li Wa.
"Mrs. Yue..." Liang Hongyu's voice choked.
Li Wa raised her head and saw who was coming. A trace of fluctuation flashed in her dim eyes. She bent her knees with difficulty: "Mrs. Han...you shouldn't have come..."
Liang Hongyu supported her and quickly stuffed an inconspicuous coarse cloth bundle into Li Wa's arms, whispering: "Madam Yue, please keep it! Please prepare it for the expenses on the road and don't let the child suffer!" The bundle contained all the gold and silver jewelry that she and Han Shizhong could urgently raise.
Li Wa wanted to refuse, but Liang Hongyu held her hand tightly. "Stay alive! You must reach Huizhou alive! As long as you are alive, there is hope! Pengju's injustice will be redressed one day!"
Li Wa's tears finally burst out, she nodded heavily, thousands of words stuck in her throat.
The escorting officers began to urge them on. Liang Hongyu gave Li Wa's cold hand a final, firm squeeze, took a deep look at the children, who were ignorant yet had already suffered so much. She turned abruptly and hurried back to the carriage, fearing that if she stayed a moment longer, she would be tempted to do something more drastic and harm them instead.
The carriage did not leave immediately. Liang Hongyu lifted the curtain and waited until the heavy group of exiles turned into a blur of black dots before leaving.
Meanwhile, in Lin'an, Han Shizhong sat alone in his study, a military tome spread out before him, unread. He had received a message from the head of Shanzhuang: Yue Fei's body had been quietly buried in a thin coffin at a secret location at the foot of Beishan Mountain.
He picked up the wine jug, filled two cups with wine, and slowly poured one of them onto the ground. "Pengju... have a safe journey."
Outside the window, the wind and snow grew stronger, as if they wanted to bury all the injustice and sorrow in the world.
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