Prime Minister

Chapter 1362 Looking Northwest, Shooting the Heavenly Wolf

Chapter 1362 Looking Northwest, Shooting the Heavenly Wolf

The defeat was utterly disastrous, needless to say.

An atmosphere of oppression and despair permeated Li Bingchang's camp.

The tent was dimly lit.

The flames in the charcoal brazier flickered weakly, and Li Bingchang's face was ashen and pale.

He hadn't removed his armor, and his blood-stained cloak was casually draped over the back of the chair.

The wind howled from the Helan Mountains outside the tent, carrying with it the groans of wounded soldiers and the neighing of warhorses, adding to the desolation.

The generals stood with their heads bowed, not daring to look him in the eye.

Prime Minister Li Qing had disheveled hair and beard, and there were arrow wounds on his shoulder armor. This Han Chinese was always regarded as a civil official, and the Dangxiang generals believed that his obsequiousness had corrupted Li Bingchang's character.

But in the midst of yesterday's crisis, the man who was powerless to even kill a chicken also took up his sword and joined Li Bingchang in charging towards the Song army camp.

He was immediately looked up to by the Tangut generals. No matter how brave the other party had been yesterday, they couldn't call him a treacherous minister of the Han dynasty in private. But... but... all their hard work was useless in the face of the Song army's ironclad camp.

Even the rebuilt Iron Falcon was smashed to pieces.

Li Qing reported in a low voice: "Your Majesty, more than half of the Iron Falcons have been lost, and the Jingse Army Supervisor has also been killed in battle..."

Li Bingchang's face twitched. This Iron Falcon unit was one he had rebuilt after the Battle of Pingxia City, and it had taken him so much effort. Now, more than half of it had been lost in today's attack on the camp.

Li Bingchang shouted sternly, "Where is the water from the Seven-Level Canal? Why can't it flood the Song army's camp!"

A general explained tremblingly, "It seems the Song army was prepared. The Song people had already built dams with sandbags."

In a corner, a chieftain huddled, bandaging his severed arm, muttering, "The Song people's divine crossbows... they're like locusts..."

"And that crossbow... it can penetrate even seven layers of iron armor."

The tent was deathly silent.

Occasionally, the brazier crackled and popped. Li Bingchang looked out of the tent at the Helan Mountains and the roaring Yellow River, and in a daze, he seemed to hear again the deafening drumbeats from the Song army's chain of fortified camps, and the screams of the Tangut cavalrymen who fell into the traps as they charged.

He closed his eyes and sighed silently, "Truly, the waters of our Tangut people are excellent!!"

Li Qing said, "Your Majesty, let's withdraw the troops!"

"Lingzhou City was surrounded on three sides, but the Song army could not surround it by the Yellow River waterway from Xingqing Prefecture."

"We can transport grain and troops by land to provide continuous support to Lingzhou, and Lingzhou will not be lost anytime soon."

The generals all knelt down and begged Li Bingchang. Li Bingchang looked at their blood-stained clothes and the deep arrow wounds that exposed bone at their collarbones.

"Although the Song army has surrounded three sides and left one open, the Yellow River waterway is still in our hands!"

"The Song army can besiege Lingzhou, but Lingzhou's food supplies will not run out."

"As long as the grain ships from Xingqing Prefecture can still sail upstream, the Lingzhou garrison can hold out until the Liao cavalry marches south!" Li Qing said firmly.

Suddenly, a soldier burst in, his armor covered in blood: "Your Majesty, a scout reports that Zhang Jie's reinforcements have departed from Weizhou!"

Li Bingchang's pupils suddenly contracted, and everyone in the tent turned pale.

"The 100,000 Song troops on Xihe Road on Weijing Mountain have begun to break camp."

Upon hearing the news, the expressions of the generals inside the tent changed drastically.

The generals all said, "Your Majesty, if we cross the Yellow River and head directly north to Xingqing Prefecture, the situation will be perilous."

That's right, the Song army only had tens of thousands of troops attacking Lingzhou, while there were nearly 200,000 troops surrounding it.

The Tanguts wanted to relieve the siege of Wei by attacking Zhao, and the Song army also wanted to besiege the point and attack the reinforcements. Once the siege of Lingzhou was not lifted, the Song army's reinforcements would surround the city from all directions.

At the foot of Lingzhou City, Li Bingchang had lost a third of his elite troops. If the fighting continued, not only would he not be able to break the siege, but he would also perish here.

However, without reinforcements, Lingzhou City will likely descend into chaos without a fight.

Li Bingchang thought for a moment and said, "Let's station troops near the Pu Luo River and Lingzhou River to fight the Song army!"

The generals in the tent gasped. The veteran general, Weiming Langbu, couldn't help but slam his fist on the table: "Your Majesty is right! Back then, Li Jiqian's ancestor repeatedly ambushed and defeated the Song army at the Pu Luo River!"

The Puluo River is the passage from Huanzhou to Lingzhou. When Li Jiqian attacked Lingzhou, he ambushed the Song army here many times in order to cut off the supply of grain to Lingzhou.

Here are Pule City (Puluo City) and Yaode City, a wetland on the edge of the arid sea, where troops can be stationed to protect supplies.

As long as the grain route from Huanzhou to Lingzhou cannot be opened, the Song Dynasty can only transport grain via the Jingyuan Road, while also threatening Weizhou at any time.

Lingzhouchuan, with the Puluo River situated between Lingzhou of the Western Xia and Huanqing Road of the Northern Song Dynasty, offers views of Fuyan Road to the southeast, extends southwest along Anzhouchuan to Jingyuan Road, and connects to Huanqing Road to the south. The Western Xia, occupying Lingzhouchuan and leveraging its advantageous location on a dry, coastal terrain, has historically considered it a natural defensive line in the southeast of the capital region.

Meanwhile, Lingzhouchuan could defend against the combined attack on Lingzhou by the Northern Song's Jingyuan, Huanqing, and Junyan routes, which would then advance on Xingqing Prefecture. Conversely, if the Dangxiang troops marched along Lingzhouchuan, they could reach the Fuyan, Huanqing, and Jingyuan routes.

Therefore, Li Bingchang felt that holding this place was worthwhile, and at least this step would give an explanation to the Lingzhou garrison. He immediately agreed with the generals' proposal, leaving 10,000 troops here, and led the main army back to Xingqing Prefecture to prevent the Xihe Road troops from crossing the Yellow River to attack Xingzhou.

……

Beacon fires and smoke signals appeared on the northern slopes of the Helan Mountains.

As Zhang Jie's command flag fluttered across the Loess Plateau, the neighing of the post horses cut off the marching column.

Zhang Jie reined in his warhorse, and suddenly his personal guard brought him a secret report in a lacquered box.

The north wind whipped sand across the sheepskin map—Peng Sun's vermilion-inked military report rattled in the wind: "Gunpowder was used to its fullest extent, yet the walls of Lingzhou remained undamaged."

"Absurd!" Zhang Jie felt a metallic taste rising in his throat and nearly fell off his horse.

Zhang Jie regained his balance, only managing to stay upright by gripping the horse's mane.

I still have the news of victory that I received just three days ago tucked away in my pocket; the ink on it, Peng Sun's boastful words that "we can break through in a day or two," is still wet.

Now, the veins on the back of Zhang Jie's hand, which was gripping the letter, were bulging.

All the gunpowder was buried, but it couldn't even budge the walls of Lingzhou. The previous plan to take Mingsha City could not be repeated under the walls of Lingzhou.

"Privy Council!"

Zhang Zai cried out in alarm and tried to help, but Zhang Jie's iron-like wrist pushed her away.

"That scoundrel Peng Sun, how dare he mislead me!"

Zhang Zai said, "Father, the city of Lingzhou is tall and sturdy, and it has been managed by the Dangxiang people for decades. It is far superior to the thin walls of the small city of Mingsha."

"It's okay if it can't be fried."

"If we can't win the first time, we'll try again."

Zhang Jie said, "As long as the Yellow River waterway is not cut off, Lingzhou can receive a continuous supply of military provisions."

"Our army is stuck in a stalemate and cannot break through the city for the time being."

"But it's alright, we can find another way."

He looked north and saw the beacon fires being lit.

"The most important thing is that Peng Sun, in order to gain credit, actually bypassed the Privy Council and sent the documents to the capital after the great victory at Lingzhou."

"Right now, everyone in Bianjing thinks that Lingzhou City will fall at any moment."

"Wouldn't this harm the Grand Secretary?"

As the three armies held their breath, Zhang Jie shook his head, recalling the renewed turning point in the Battle of Lingzhou, and couldn't help but cough up blood.

……

In June of the first year of Yuanyou.

News of Peng Sun's great victory at Lingzhou had already reached the capital. Li Bingchang led 100,000 Dangxiang troops in a fierce attack on the Song army camp outside Lingzhou, but suffered a crushing defeat.

The news sent shockwaves throughout Bianjing.

Since capturing Mingsha City and then moving on to Lingzhou City, Zhang Yue has always been a master strategist. This time, Li Bingchang's great defeat and the impending fall of Lingzhou have further enhanced Zhang Yue's prestige.

When the flying cavalry shattered the morning mist over Bianjing.

At this moment, the streets and alleys of Bianjing were filled with talk of the great victory at Lingzhou.

In the tavern, the storyteller vividly recounted: "Three thousand Tangut Iron Falcons were slain in battle, and Li Bingchang fled to Helan Mountain in defeat!"

Onlookers took out their money to tip the spectators.

Explain in detail.

"Details, please!"

The storyteller had no idea what the details of the events at Lingzhou City were like, but for the sake of such a large reward, he made it up on the spot.

"It is said that General Peng Sun wielded his golden spear with the grace of a dragon emerging from the sea!"

The storyteller slammed his gavel down with a deafening roar, then casually scooped up some copper coins from the corner of the table and stuffed them into his sleeve. "He charged into the enemy lines alone, his spear tip adorned with the heads of three Tangut generals, and charged straight to Li Bingchang's wolf-head banner—"

Cheers erupted in the tavern. A merchant-looking man excitedly knocked over his wine bowl: "Did General Peng learn Yang Liulang's throat-locking spear technique?"

"That's a good question, sir!" The storyteller then seamlessly incorporated a plot about the Yang family generals, adding, "General Peng is using the secret techniques of the Tianbo Mansion."

"Li Bingchang was so frightened that he nearly jumped out of his skin and hurriedly summoned Iron Falcon to set up some kind of Heavenly Gate Formation."

A soldier standing nearby laughed and cursed, "Bullshit! The Iron Falcons don't know how to form formations. They just charge in groups of three..."

The storyteller was embarrassed upon hearing this.

But the crowd didn't take it seriously and instead defended the storyteller.

"Here's the tip! Keep going! Don't let these illiterate soldiers spoil your fun. Everyone in the capital knows your legendary tongue." A greedy glint appeared in one of the storytellers' eyes as he saw the tip, and he continued, "Then, with a deafening roar, three thousand Iron Falcons were blown to pieces—"

The crowd chuckled, their spirits high.

The storyteller continued, "When Li Bingchang fled in defeat, he imitated Li Yuanhao by wearing a bronze mask to fake his death, but our divine archer shot through the mask with an arrow." He then suddenly lowered his voice, "Do you all know who taught him this arrow technique? It was Peng Sun who received the skill from General Yang Ye in a dream!"

Like a storyteller, the crowd gathered outside Xuande Gate erupted in cheers like a tsunami.

Several students even threw Zhang Yue's "Strategy for Pacifying the Barbarians" into the air, the pages fluttering like golden butterflies in the morning sun.

"Victory!"

"Victory!"

The students celebrated.

They felt that Lingzhou City could be taken over in a matter of days.

……

At that moment, Zhang Yue was eating fruits and vegetables that he had just fished out of the well in the capital, while Zhang Gen skillfully cut a melon beside him.

Shen Kuo smiled and said to Zhang Yue, "Now is the perfect time for lychees from Lingnan. When I was the prefect of Xuanzhou, a merchant from Lingnan passed through this area and tasted them once; they were exceptionally sweet."

Zhang Yue laughed and said, "If Cunzhong wants to go to Lingnan to eat lychees, that's easy to arrange."

Shen Kuo laughed heartily and said, "I dare not ask, I dare not ask."

After a pause, Shen Kuo said, "In recent years, the Prime Minister has used the Post Office to connect Bianjing and Shaanxi. Why not extend this method to all parts of the country, which would not only make communication between Shaanxi and Bianjing more convenient?"

"This time, it was very convenient for Guanzhong to mobilize supplies to the front lines in Shaanxi."

"Why not let Lingnan also benefit from this?"

Zhang Yue said, "That is incorrect. Half of the postal route from Shaanxi to Bianjing benefited from the imperial court's policies toward the Northwest."

"If this hadn't happened, the post office would probably have lost money. It's best to avoid doing things that are detrimental and offer no benefit."

As he spoke, Zhang Geng respectfully brought fruit to Shen Kuo.

Shen Kuo nodded with a smile, and when Zhang Geng went out to attend to his business, he quickly said, "Nephew, you are becoming more and more shrewd and capable. You are likely to become prime minister in the future."

Zhang Yue said, "We're all family, so let's not be formal."

"On the other hand, the position of prime minister is not an easy one to hold."

Shen Kuo laughed and said, "Hey, both the Han and Lü families in this dynasty have father and son who are prime ministers."

"This is a good story! I wouldn't hesitate to advise ordinary people on this matter."

“But I think my nephew is a dragon among men. If Lord Wei suppresses him, it might not be good.”

Zhang Yue waved his hand and said, "Geng'er thinks too highly of himself."

Shen Kuo said, "My nephew served under Yu Chong and Han Zhen in the Northwest, and he was quite adept at adapting to changing circumstances."

Zhang Yue smiled upon hearing this; Shen Kuo seemed to take the matter seriously.

Although Huang Lü severed ties with Shen Kuo as father-in-law and son-in-law, he still held Zhang Geng in high regard. Of course, this was also a way for him to actively curry favor with Zhang.

"Let's get down to business."

Zhang Yue did not give Shen Kuo a direct answer.

Shen Kuo's expression was solemn, but his eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Your Excellency, last month a merchant volunteered to present the court with a so-called 'secret technique of copper-based methods'."

"The Minister of Revenue, Zeng Zixuan, and Su Ziyou, who was on a diplomatic mission to the Liao Dynasty, both received this person."

"The merchant claimed to possess a secret method to turn iron into copper using copper sulfate. However, both Zeng Zixuan and Su Ziyou were skeptical of this method."

Su Ziyou summoned the merchant and asked, "This method was originally forbidden by the imperial court, so it is truly remarkable that you have mastered it. However, if it were tested in the government, it would surely spread widely. You alone cannot accomplish it, so you must seek help from others. At that time, the secret method will be known to everyone."

“‘What about those old prohibitions? Weren’t they just empty words? How could I prioritize disrupting the law?’ Upon hearing this, the merchant could only retreat dejectedly.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yue frowned.

At this moment, Shen Kuo, the Privy Councilor who had been ridiculed as a "three-surname slave," spoke with a trembling voice, unable to conceal his excitement: "Lord Wei, Ziyou is not foolish, but cautious. He later sent someone to tell me. After hearing this, I specially summoned that merchant to test him."

"The result is indeed feasible."

"Lord Wei, I heard beforehand that the lead mines in Xinzhou are already using iron cauldrons to store bile, and they can obtain red copper within ten days—if this method were adopted nationwide, it could increase copper production by more than a million catties annually!"

Zhang Yue nodded: "Is this method truly reliable?"

Shen Kuo calmly replied, "The *Baopuzi* does indeed record: 'The fraudsters claim that coating iron with azurite makes the iron reddish like copper,' which is consistent with the principle of this method."

"How much replacement is needed?" Zhang Yue suddenly asked.

Shen Kuo was prepared and calmly took out his abacus from his sleeve: "According to the old formula, ten catties of iron can only yield three catties of copper. But I have improved the formula."

Although Zhang Yue has a science background, after traveling through time for many years, his book knowledge has become rusty.

But after Shen Kuo said something like "exchanging iron for copper," isn't it just Fe + CuSO₄ → Cu + FeSO₄?

The chemical equation for copper sulfate pentahydrate is copper sulfate pentahydrate. Iron is more chemically reactive than copper and can displace copper.

Shen Kuo described how craftsmen would soak iron sheets in bile, and after several days a layer of spongy copper would accumulate on the surface of the iron sheets. They would then remove the iron sheets, scrape off the copper powder, and finally collect the copper powder for smelting and casting ingots.

So this is the historically famous copper plating method.

In another historical period during the Yuan You era, a merchant presented a gift to the imperial court, but Su Zhe stopped him on the grounds that it was a "secret technique of the imperial court." This event is also recorded in Shen Kuo's "Dream Pool Essays".

He now keenly realized that this method of "exchanging iron for copper" was of great significance.

Both the Song and Liao dynasties were currently facing a severe currency shortage and economic deflation. The situation was even more dire in the Liao dynasty, where the people refused to accept any currency other than Song coins, causing the tribute that had been flowing out of the country to return to the Song dynasty.

In order to solve the money shortage, Zhang Yue vigorously promoted the use of salt paper money to increase currency circulation in the market.

Historically, the two-cash and three-cash coins issued during the Xining era, as well as Cai Jing's "ten-cash coins" and Lü Huiqing's issuance of iron coins to replace copper coins in the Northwest, all followed this line of thinking.

However, regardless of whether it's a two-cash, three-cash, ten-cash, or iron coin, it's just like the Daquan Wuqian coin in history.

Instead, we should actually mint some copper coins, and also revise the Green Sprouts Law, the Horse Protection Law, and the Baojia Law, implementing structural reforms.

Shen Kuo listened to Zhang Yue's idea and said, "If this method of refining copper with bile can be promoted, the Song Dynasty can mint copper coins in large quantities."

Historically, copper production accounted for 20-30% of the total output in the late Northern Song Dynasty, and reached as high as 80% in the Southern Song Dynasty.

Zhang Yue said, "Let's use these copper coins as proof of payment."

Salt certificates were originally used to exchange for salt, but now they can be used to exchange for official salt from all over the country. If the imperial court has ten million strings of cash worth of salt available for sale in a year, then it can issue twelve million strings of salt certificates, of which the two million strings are the profits from minting coins.

At the same time, the Jiaozi system used copper and iron coins as reserves. When Zhang Yong was in charge of the Jiaozi Bureau in Yizhou, he used 360,000 strings of cash as reserves. The first issuing official issued 1.26 million strings of Jiaozi. The difference between these was the profit.

Later, the imperial court's excessive printing of paper money led to a dramatic devaluation of the currency.

"The Prime Minister is brilliant! In this way, the court can earn an additional million strings of cash every year!" Shen Kuo could not hide his excitement.

Zhang Yue thought to himself that Zeng Bu was currently frowning over the Northwest military expenses, so this was good news for him.

Zhang Yue smiled at Shen Kuo and said, "Cunzhong certainly had foresight in this matter; it can be considered a great achievement!"

Shen Kuo's face turned pale and then red, and he hurriedly said, "I am grateful for Lord Wei's teachings!"

Zhang Yue asked, "How were the merchants who presented the tribute rewarded?"

Shen Kuo cautiously said, "The Ministry of Revenue has decided to grant fifty strings of cash!"

"Fifty strings of cash?" Zhang Yue frowned.

Shen Kuo quickly tried to salvage the situation, saying, "Copper smelting is beneficial to military equipment; the Privy Council can provide another fifty strings of cash."

"Have you ever heard of buying bones for a thousand pieces of gold?" Zhang Yue suddenly interrupted, his gaze piercing. "Regardless of whether this method has been passed down for a long time, without this person presenting it, who in the entire court would have given it a second glance?"

He stood up. "Appointed to the position of Director of the Ordnance Bureau!"

Shen Kuo lowered his voice considerably: "I originally thought the same thing, but the Right Chancellor thought that he was imitating Lü Gongzhu's gesture of stroking his beard, saying, 'The people are difficult to govern because they have too much wisdom,' and that this was merely a crude folk art."

Zhang Yue glanced at Shen Kuo, who had been badmouthing Lü Gongzhu and the old party members in front of him for days.

Shen Kuo's words may be true or false, but his true intentions are obvious.

The idea of ​​forming cliques and attacking dissidents doesn't mean that if the other side acts this way, your subordinates will also actively seek out trouble.

Zhang Yue then said, "The Tao Te Ching also says that one should not value the worthy; is that something we should listen to?"

"Speaking of which, I'll tentatively use the old and new methods in the halls of power and political discourse, but now it needs to be changed!"

Shen Kuo asked, "From today onwards, the phrase 'using both old and new meanings' should be interpreted in some new ways?"

Zhang Yue said, "The method of soaking copper in bile increases the court's revenue by a million a year, yet people say it corrupts people's hearts."

Shen Kuo was secretly pleased upon hearing this and said, "Previously, there were many opinions among the old people, saying that since the Han Dynasty, those who upheld loyalty and died for righteousness and made great achievements were all from the Central Plains. People like Cai Que and Lü Huiqing were from the South and should not be trusted or used lightly."

Zhang Yue knew that Shen Kuo was trying to sow discord between him and others, but these words were not entirely unfounded.

He then said, "Cunzhong, appointing you as the Deputy Privy Councilor is truly a waste of your talents."

Shen Kuo's lowered gaze subtly revealed a hint of joy, but he humbly replied, "I dare not, I dare not flatter you, Your Excellency."

Zhang Yue smiled and said, "Yesterday, Zhu Guangting, the Left Censor, entered the audience with His Majesty and discussed the difficulty of finding talented people."

"Your Majesty said this only because it is difficult to find someone who is perfect. Those with talent lack virtue, and those with virtue lack talent."

Zhu Guangting said, “Only ministers who are in power should be those who possess both talent and virtue, while others should be used according to their suitability. If it is a matter of official duties, then talent is sufficient; if it is a matter of offering advice and discussing matters, and one is at Your Majesty’s side, then virtue is the only appropriate choice.”

Shen Kuo broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this.

Zhang Yue's words were undoubtedly a direct reference to him.

Shen Kuo smiled ingratiatingly.

Zhang Yue said to Shen Kuo, "I have a piece of good advice."

Shen Kuo replied, "I am all ears."

Zhang Yue said, “If people in the world associate with each other for profit, then there is no one who cannot be my friend; but if we associate with each other from the heart, then there are only one or two.”

Shen Kuo thought to himself that Zhang Yue's words were somewhat unorthodox.

Zhang Yue said, "It's not a pleasant way to put it, but when you think about it carefully, that's how it is."

"When interacting with others, one should always have the intention of seeking benefits for others and oneself; in this way, everyone in the world can be a friend."

"But true harmony of hearts is difficult to achieve. Therefore, being kind to others is the way to long-term success."

Just then, Zhang Gen reported: "Reporting to the Attendant-in-Ordinary, news has arrived from the northwest... Peng Sun's attack on Lingzhou has failed!"

Zhang Yue, his face ashen, glanced at the letter and tossed it to Shen Kuo.

After reading it, Shen Kuo cursed, "A general who has accepted amnesty is a general who has accepted amnesty; he's rotten to the core!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yue glared at Shen Kuo.

Shen Kuo then remembered that Peng Sun had saved Zhang Zhi's life, and immediately said, "Your Excellency, I misspoke. However, the matter of Lingzhou is known to everyone in the court and the public. At this time, Peng Sun's miscalculation is likely..."

Zhang Yue said calmly, "Use the power of the entire world to attack Lingzhou."

"Why should it matter whether we win or lose once or twice?"

Don't be alarmed.

……

At this moment, an eerie silence permeated the Secretariat.

The sandalwood incense in the burner had long since burned out, yet no one dared to ask the hall attendant to replace it.

"The Lingzhou city wall still hasn't been breached?" Lu Gongzhu put down his teacup, the crisp sound causing Han Zhongyan, who was sitting next to him, to twitch his eyebrows.

Li Qingchen, who had praised Zhang Yue's "strategic planning" in court just three days ago, now had a furrowed brow.

"Seven million strings of cash were spent from the national treasury, only to acquire a few earthen fortresses in Mingsha City? Lingzhou City remains completely untouched," Feng Jing said.

Lü Gongzhu shook his head and turned to his side: "Junshi, what do you think?"

Sima Guang, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, returned to the imperial court after a long illness. Strangely enough, Sima Guang, who had been seriously ill, suddenly recovered after Zhang Yue took office. This can only be described as a miracle.

It is said that this is thanks to the health preservation formula left by the ancestor Chen Tuan.

Sima Guang sat upright like an ancient pine tree, his face still pale from his long illness, but his eyes were frighteningly bright.

"Lingzhou has been besieged for a long time without success, and the Liao Kingdom's million iron cavalry have already stationed troops in Youzhou." Sima Guang suddenly coughed violently. Guo Lin, who was standing next to him, hurriedly handed him a handkerchief, but he waved it away.

"Do we really have to wait until Li Bingchang joins forces with the Liao army to march south, causing our Great Song Dynasty to face the same peril as at Chanyuan?!"

Lu Gongzhu picked up the newly replaced teacup, the steam blurring his vision.

He tended to maintain the status quo on this issue, and remained skeptical about attacking Lingzhou. Sima Guang's return to the capital, however, shook his resolve.

Upon returning to court, Sima Guang immediately submitted three memorials. His memorials opposing the military campaigns in the northwest cited numerous classical texts, from Emperor Wu of Han's costly expeditions to Emperor Xuanzong of Tang's excessive military spending; he was also deeply distressed by Zhang Yue's practice of recruiting barbarian troops and granting them Han citizenship. When the old minister emphatically questioned in the Chuigong Hall, "Isn't the An Lushan Rebellion a cautionary tale?" even the emperor was moved.

Sima Guang steadied his breathing and continued.

"Of all the great harms to the world, none is greater than the devastation caused by the sitting of Lan Liang, which has brought ruin to China."

“Back then, Prime Minister Wei requested the abolition of the fields in Cheshi. During the reign of Emperor Yuan, Jia Juanzhi requested the abandonment of Zhuya County. Prime Minister Di Renjie of Tang also requested the abandonment of the four towns and the establishment of Huseluo as Khan. He also requested the abandonment of Andong and the establishment of the Gao family. Li Deyu also requested the rejection of Bao'anxi. These people were all wise men of their time.”

"Would it not be better to abandon such land for the sake of the nation's prestige? These people do not covet external resources and exhaust the lives of the people, nor do they seek personal fame at the expense of real harm and endless troubles for the nation. Now, in terms of the nation's power, the desolate land is neither considered strong when it is gained, nor weak when it is lost. Only those with clear vision say that eliminating great troubles is the way to preserve oneself, and this is how the nation can become strong."

“Liangzhou and Lingzhou are not desolate and barren lands!” Li Qingchen said.

Sima Guang said, "It's the same."

"The prevailing opinion is that it is better to nurture the people than to acquire land, and better to defend oneself than to defend against others."

"If the Liao Kingdom simply asks us to abandon Mizhi and pacify Xiazhai, it will be enough to show their benevolence and establish a bond of peace."

"If we miss this opportunity and continue to attack Lingzhou, we will face endless wars and disasters, which will cause great suffering to China and become a threat to our heartland."

Li Qingchen also wavered after hearing Sima Guang's words.

"Although we wish to advocate abandoning them now, it is impossible. These places were acquired by the court over more than ten years with the full strength of the nation. How can we abandon them in an instant? And today, the emperor is even opening up the treasury."

Lu Gongzhu, who served as Right Minister, also said: "These were acquired by the late emperor. They are all former Chinese territories, while Lanzhou and Liangzhou are Western barbarian lands, not originally belonging to the Xia people."

"Today, the emperor is guarding the territory of the late emperor. How can we easily give it away to others? Moreover, the Dangxiang are greedy and insatiable. Giving it to them would only encourage their aggression."

“Back then, Li Jiqian and Li Yuanhao did not act this way; we only need to be on high alert and wait for them.”

Due to Sima Guang's vehement opposition, Lü Gongzhu timely raised a compromise topic, which also reflected his inner concerns.

If we fail to capture Lingzhou and the Liao Kingdom launches an attack, should we postpone our plans?

Fan Zuyu, Guo Lin, and others all understood what was being said.

As long as the imperial court maintains strict defenses, the Khitan and Dangxiang tribes will not pose a threat to us, and the plan to attack Lingzhou can be put on hold.

Within the Secretariat, one could hear a pin drop.

……

Following Peng Sun's failure to capture Lingzhou and Sima Guang's aggressive criticism, Lü Gongzhu also planned to take this opportunity to negotiate peace with the Liao Dangxiang and stop attacking Lingzhou, so as not to provoke the Liao army to march south in July.

As dusk fell on the stone steps of the Secretariat, Fan Zuyu helped Sima Guang descend slowly. Fan Chunren and Fan Bailu happened to meet at the foot of the steps and, upon seeing this, quickly clasped their hands in greeting.

The evening breeze ruffled Sima Guang's sparse silver beard, revealing the still-healing moxibustion sores on his neck—marks left by Chen Tuan's health-preserving methods. The two exchanged a glance, both reading respect and pity in each other's eyes: this old minister, whose life might end at any moment, was still supporting the Song Dynasty with his backbone.

"I presume you two have already heard the military report," Sima Guang's voice was like the rustling of withered leaves.

Fan Chunren said, "When Peng Sun defeated the Tangut relief army, he thought Lingzhou City would fall in no time, but he did not expect that Lingzhou City was so strong that it could not be destroyed by gunpowder."

Fan Bailu said, "Now I hear that the Dangxiang people are continuously supplying Lingzhou with water from Xingqing Prefecture via the Yellow River. It will be difficult for the court to capture Lingzhou within ten days."

"At this point, we absolutely cannot continue fighting."

Sima Guang nodded slightly at the two men. The setback in the siege of Lingzhou City and the aggressive attitude of the Liao Kingdom were all signs of a reversal of public sentiment.

Fan Chunren said, "But the Chamberlain holds absolute power, has the late Emperor's dying wish, and is supported by the Empress Dowager and His Majesty. It may not be easy to change course!"

Fan Zuyu then said solemnly, "Back in the peaceful era, during the debate at the Pu Temple, even the officials in power, such as Han Weigong and Ouyang Gong, could not prevail over public opinion. They even had to issue a proclamation in the court and offer a detailed explanation, but the people still did not agree with it."

"From this we can see that if one is right, there is no need to tell others; one only needs to correct oneself and act prudently."

During the debate over the death of Emperor Yingzong, Sima Guang opposed Han Qi, while Ouyang Xiu supported Emperor Yingzong's decision to acknowledge his biological father. In the end, both sides prevailed.

Faced with the words of Fan Chunren and others, Sima Guang said, "I am old and ill and can no longer bear the burden. I will resign from my position as Vice Minister of the Chancellery tomorrow. You may do as you please."

Fan Chunren and others hesitated, but Sima Guang suddenly returned to the court. He criticized Zhang Yue for continuing to wage war against Lingzhou, which put the Song Dynasty in danger of fighting against both the Song and Liao dynasties at the same time. Then he decided to resign from his position as Vice Minister of the Chancellery.

Fan Chunren and Fan Bailu were dejected. Sima Guang said to them, "Gentlemen, the world is now in your hands."

“If the Liao army enters the territory, I, Sima Guang, will be a sinner for all eternity.”

……

After Sima Guang returned to his residence, Sima Kang helped him remove his official robes and hat and stepped out, where he happened to see Fan Zuyu.

Fan Zuyu asked Sima Kang.

"How is the teacher's health?"

Sima Kang said sadly, "I'm afraid we won't be able to hold out for more than ten days."

Fan Zuyu lamented that the health preservation methods left by the ancestor Chen Tuan were nothing but a smokescreen.

"No matter how much the teacher speaks frankly and directly, the Empress Dowager and His Majesty now support the Grand Councilor's military campaign in the Northwest. Continuing to oppose this argument... will probably be of no use."

Sima Kang said sadly, "How could Father not know?"

"My father said that since ancient times, the wise have focused on substance, while the foolish have focused on reputation!"

"Let the old man fight for his name one last time."

Fan Zuyu asked, "What is your meaning, teacher?"

Sima Kang said, "I suspect that my father is old and ill, and his position as Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat is not long-lasting. But before I retire, I will do my part for the people of the world."

Fan Zuyu sighed, “My teacher often said that this is precisely why the court needs people who speak frankly! If no one dares to remonstrate, the world will be in danger!”

"He would rather be told afterwards that he was blind."

Both of them were in tears, and by then Guo Lin had arrived.

How is the teacher?

Fan Zuyu and Sima Kang both shook their heads. Guo Lin immediately went inside, and the three of them re-entered the room and saw Sima Guang, who was about to die.

Upon learning of the failed siege of Lingzhou, Sima Guang's last strength was exhausted by his visit to the palace today. He had barely managed to hold on in front of Lü Gongzhu, Li Qingchen, Fan Cunren, and Fan Bailu.

It also demonstrated his final political resilience.

At this moment, Sima Guang's breath was extremely weak.

Guo Lin wept and said, "Teacher, teacher."

Sima Guang barely opened his eyes and instructed Guo Lin, "The Zizhi Tongjian is now complete, and my wish has been fulfilled. From now on, you must wholeheartedly assist His Majesty and guide him onto the right path."

"Focus on pacifying the people and cultivating their minds, and take the well-being of the people as your mission. Do not repeat the mistakes of the late emperor by engaging in endless wars."

Guo Lin nodded and said, "Teacher, I understand."

After giving a few instructions, Sima Guang looked around again and said, "The world is in peril, and the nation is facing many difficulties."

"You all need to take good care of him."

The students gathered around Sima Guang's sickbed, silently weeping.

After Sima Guang finished speaking, he closed his eyes and lost consciousness.

When news of Sima Guang's serious illness arrived, ministers flocked to visit him because of his character and scholarship.

The emperor, the empress dowager, and the disgraced grand empress dowager also sent skilled doctors to visit them.

Zhang Yue also heard Sima Guang's words and smiled. Until the last moment of his life, Sima Guang took advantage of Peng Sun's failure to attack Lingzhou to vigorously incite opposition to his military campaign in the northwest.

At this moment, Zhang Yue felt no anger towards Sima Guang, only admiration.

This world is a place where the winner takes all.

If the Meiji Restoration had failed, the three heroes of the Meiji Restoration would have received the same evaluation and treatment as Cai Que and Lü Huiqing in history, but now...

Inside the capital, the ice chest exuded a slight coolness.

Wen Yanbo, a veteran official who served four dynasties, held a celadon teacup. The tea foam in the cup had already solidified, but he did not take a sip.

“Lord Wei,” Wen Yanbo’s silver beard trembled slightly, “Lingzhou City is as impregnable as an iron wall. Peng Sun used all his gunpowder but couldn’t budge it an inch. Now the Liao emperor has a million troops stationed in You and Ji. Su Ziyou returned from his mission to Liao and said that the Khitan nobles all say, ‘When autumn is high and the horses are fat, that’s the time to march south…’”

Feng Jing chimed in, "Although Zhang Zhifu has surrounded Lingzhou on three sides, the Yellow River waterway remains in the hands of the Dangxiang. Although Li Bingchang suffered a defeat at the gates of Lingzhou, he continues to besiege Huanzhou! If Liao and Xia join forces, our dynasty will be attacked from both sides..."

Zhang Yue remained silent.

The cicadas outside the window suddenly stopped chirping.

Zhang Yue flicked his sleeve and swept aside the book, saying, "Retreating now would be the real disaster!"

Zhang Yue looked at Feng Jing and Wen Yanbo, and finally shook his head helplessly: "Both of you are in charge of important military and national affairs. Since you insist on this, I can issue a document in the name of the Privy Council to see what Zhang Zhifu thinks."

Wen Yanbo and Feng Jing nodded slowly, saying, "That's much safer."

Finally, the imperial court, in the name of the Privy Council, issued a document to Zhang Jie, inquiring whether to temporarily withdraw troops from the Lingzhou front.

……

In the first year of Yuanyou, July.

Inside the Weizhou government office in the height of summer, the heat was intense.

Zhang Jie, dressed in his robe, hunched over his desk, which was piled high with military reports. The candlelight illuminated his sunken cheeks.

Since the siege of Lingzhou began, he had not removed his armor for half a month, and his coughing up blood had worsened.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves was heard outside the tent, and the personal guards led the Privy Council's envoy into the tent.

The messenger knelt and presented a lacquered box, saying, "Prime Minister, urgent message from Bianjing!"

Zhang Jie unfolded the Privy Council's decree, its vermilion annotations strikingly clear.

"Lingzhou has been besieged for a long time without success, and the Liao cavalry has already gathered in Youzhou and Jizhou. We should immediately retreat to protect Huanqing and wait until autumn to make another plan."

"Absurd!" Zhang Jie slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

Zhang Zai quickly helped her father up and whispered, "Father, I heard that Sima Junshi is critically ill and has advised against using troops."

"When a general is in the field, he may disobey the emperor's orders. I'm afraid we can no longer evade this. There must be some unusual activity on the Liao side, which is why they want us to withdraw our troops."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jie pondered for a moment, then read the edict again.

“You are unaware of the Grand Councilor’s skill; this intention to withdraw the troops is actually the intention of Wen Kuanfu and Feng Dangshi.”

Zhang Zai asked, "What does Father mean?"

"If the Grand Councilor truly wants me to withdraw my troops, he must have urgently summoned me with a golden token!"

"The message from the Privy Council is merely an urging, nothing more. The Grand Councilor is the prime minister; this is just a formality, a way for the two Grand Councilors, Feng and his brother, to give instructions on important military and national affairs."

Zhang Jie flung his sleeve and pushed his son away, his gaze burning fiercely.

He looked out at the waning moon. Such moonlight must have shone on the summit of Helan Mountain, on the blood-soaked soldiers beneath Lingzhou City, and on the still-warm corpses by the Yellow River.

Zhang Jie stood with his hands behind his back and said, "Tell the Attendant-in-Ordinary that I, Zhang Jie, am willing to sign a military pledge: within one month, I will surely defeat the Dangxiang under the walls of Lingzhou!"

Zhang Zai hurriedly asked, "Father, is this feasible? Xingqing Prefecture is still sending troops to reinforce Lingzhou."

Zhang Jie said, "There is no room for retreat now."

After saying this, Zhang Jie suddenly coughed several times and pounded his chest violently.

Zhang Zai hurriedly said, "Father, you must take care of yourself."

Zhang Jie said, "Things have come to this point, and I have already pledged myself to the country."

Zhang Jie pointed to the map and asked, "Where has Wang Hou's vanguard reached?"

Zhang Zai said, "Wang Hou reports that the 100,000-strong army of Xihe Road has crossed the Yellow River and is currently reorganizing and building rafts in preparation for sailing downstream."

Zhang Jie said, "Order him to stop the reorganization and capture Shunzhou immediately!"

Zhang Jie pointed heavily to the location of Shunzhou on the map.

"If another soldier is killed, we can send troops to Guidechuan and open up the Huanqing Road!"

……

Shunzhou and Lingzhou face each other across the Yellow River, forming the gateway to Xingqing Prefecture to the south, one on the left and one on the right.

After Lingzhou was besieged, the garrison commander of Shunzhou repeatedly sent men across the Yellow River to transport grain and people into Lingzhou, braving the Song army's crossbows and crossbows below the city.

This prevented the Song army from completely besieging Lingzhou City.

At this moment, the Yellow River's waves crashed against the shore, and Wang Hou stood on the warship, gazing at the city walls of Shunzhou in the distance.

Shunzhou City, nestled against the mountains and overlooking the river, was a crucial strategic point for the Dangxiang people guarding the upper reaches of the Yellow River.

Banners fluttered atop the city walls, where the defending troops were already in full battle array. Wang Hou addressed his men, saying, "With the fall of Shunzhou, the flank of Lingzhou is lost, and Li Bingchang has no more defensible positions to defend!"

After the troops of Xihe Road occupied Weijing Mountain, they dismantled the iron chains and hidden stakes that the Dangxiang had set up on the Yellow River and built a large number of boats and rafts.

These boats have a shallow draft and can only carry twenty or thirty people, which is insufficient for transporting grain. However, they are easy and convenient to build, save on foot effort, and are suitable for the rapid currents of the Yellow River downstream of Weijing Mountain.

For this expedition, Wang Hou personally sailed down the river on a raft and stayed behind.

With the wind blowing from the Yellow River, Wang Hou pointed to Shunzhou City and said, "My men, attack this place with me!"

The Yellow River here is turbid and surging, with thousands of sails racing.

The next day, Wang Hou ordered the elite troops of Xihe to attack the city from both land and water. Immediately, a rain of arrows filled the sky below Shunzhou City, obscuring the sun, and flames burst forth.

The soldiers roared like thunder.

Within a day, Shunzhou was captured.

The three thousand Tangut defenders were completely annihilated.

Amidst the roaring Yellow River, the cheers of 100,000 Song soldiers shook the heavens.

With the fall of Shunzhou, the Song army's forces in Xihe Road were already poised to advance directly towards Xingqing Prefecture.

Xingqing Prefecture was thrown into turmoil several times in one night. Li Bingchang sent all the supplies in the city and the Dangxiang clan members to the secondary capital, Dingzhou.

At this point, the Yellow River waterway from Xingqing Prefecture to Lingzhou was completely cut off.

Meanwhile, Zhe Keshi also led troops from Guidechuan to Huanzhou. Li Bingchang had already returned to Xingqing Prefecture, leaving only a portion of his troops in Guidechuan to guard Pule City and Yaode City.

This was one of the few remaining elite troops of the Tangut people. Zhe Keshi fought bitterly for two cities but could not break through. Zhang Jie immediately borrowed ten Tangut commanders from the Xihe Road army and sent them to help in the battle.

With the help of elite Tangut soldiers, Zhekeshi decisively defeated the Tangut army at the cities of Pule and Yaode, annihilating nearly 10,000 Tangut soldiers in the battle.

Weiming Awu, the last surviving general of the Tangut royal family, was defeated and captured.

Zhe Keshi not only captured Lecheng and Yaodecheng, but also sent troops to relieve the siege of Huanzhou and open up the passage from Huanzhou to Lingzhou.

From then on, military supplies along the Huanqing Road could pass through Huanzhou and reach the city of Lingzhou directly, greatly reducing the pressure of transporting grain and fodder over a thousand miles along the Jingyuan route.

This road, which had been blocked by Li Jiqian, was reopened by the Song army seventy years later.

Three days later, Zhe Keshi led his victorious army to the walls of Lingzhou.

When the captured Weiming Awu was brought to the walls of Lingzhou, the garrison of Lingzhou knew that all was lost.

Zhang Jie once again ordered his men to persuade the garrison in Lingzhou City to surrender, but they were refused again.

Zhang Jie was furious and immediately assembled the armies from Jingyuan Road and Huanqing Road to attack Lingzhou City.

Peng Sun's attempt to bombard the city with gunpowder failed again, but Lingzhou, cut off from external support, was already in grave danger under the attack of hundreds of thousands of Song troops.

The city was shrouded in gloom and despair.

The Song army bombarded the city walls day and night from the five hundred catapults built on the east and south sides of the city.

As for the ballistae below the city, they spared no effort in bombarding the city walls until they were damaged.

The soldiers in Lingzhou City demolished almost all the houses to reinforce the city walls and battlements, showing a determination to hold out to the bitter end.

Li Bingchang was unwilling to give up. In the end, he led more than 10,000 men to a place 20 miles away from Lingzhou City. When he saw the Song army's fierce attack on Lingzhou, he was disheartened.

Without firing a single arrow, Li Bingchang led his troops back to Xingqing Prefecture overnight.

Two days later, the Dangxiang Jingse military supervisory office surrendered to the Song army.

However, Lingzhou City remained unconquered and the bloody battle continued.

……

Bianjing City.

As dusk settled, a wisp of smoke rose from the medicine stove in front of Sima Guang's sickbed.

The old man's withered fingers clenched the blankets tightly, and he mumbled incoherently, "Lingzhou...cannot...be attacked..."

"We must inform His Majesty and tell Duke Wei!"

Others may fear power, but I do not.

Fan Zuyu and Guo Lin knelt before Sima Guang's bedside, serving him medicine. Although several imperial physicians had already said it was useless, the two still refused to give up.

Suddenly, Sima Guang opened his eyes, and his cloudy pupils suddenly showed a clear light before death. He murmured, "If Zhang Zhifu cannot break through the city... the Dangxiang will surely lead the Liao cavalry south, and the people of Hebei will surely suffer terribly... Quickly... quickly advise the emperor... you must write a memorial for me."

"Speak frankly and directly!"

Guo Lin nodded, tears welling in his eyes, and said, "Teacher, I'll write it for you right away."

"To advise His Majesty."

Sima Guang nodded, then fell into a coma again.

Before he could finish speaking, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from outside the window.

But then Liu Anshi staggered in, his clothes disheveled, and picked up a military report: "Lingzhou City has fallen!"

Fan Zuyu and Guo Lin were both surprised and delighted upon hearing this.

Both men gripped Liu Anshi's collar tightly and asked, "Has the city really fallen?"

Liu Anshi nodded and said, "Zhang Zhifu has lived up to expectations and accomplished this earth-shattering feat!"

"With the loss of Lingzhou, the Dangxiang people have lost half of their territory."

Fan Zuyu and Guo Lin exchanged a glance, their eyes showing both surprise and worry.

They turned to look at Sima Guang, who was lying on his sickbed.

"Teacher, Lingzhou City has fallen." Guo Lin looked at Sima Guang.

Sima Guang nodded, half-conscious.

Fan Zuyu said, "Teacher, there is no reason to be happy. Once Lingzhou is captured, the Liao Kingdom will surely move south."

Guo Lin glanced at Fan Zuyu and said, "But Lingzhou City... has ultimately fallen..."

Although Fan Zuyu said this, he secretly thought that perhaps his teacher was wrong after all.

Upon hearing this, Sima Guang nodded, and then a tear slowly slid down from the corner of his right eye.

Upon seeing this, Guo Lin gripped Sima Guang's withered hand tightly.

Fan Zuyu wiped away his tears and said, "No matter what, Zhang Zhifu still managed to get it done."

"Even if it's just to prove a point, it doesn't matter if I lose it later."

But then a slight smile of relief appeared on Sima Guang's face, and then his hand suddenly fell limp, and he breathed his last.

"teacher!"

"teacher!"

"teacher!"

Guo Lin, Fan Zuyu, and Liu Anshi knelt before Sima Guang's bedside, tears streaming down their faces.

……

Thousands of miles away, Zhang Jie, Ye Keshi, and other Song generals stood beneath the walls of Lingzhou, watching as several Song soldiers chopped down the thick wolf-head banner with swords and axes, and then the banner was thrown heavily against the walls of Lingzhou.

Immediately, several warriors who had survived countless battles planted the bright red flag representing the Great Song Dynasty atop the city walls of Lingzhou!

The three armed forces stood in solemn silence.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Jie raised his arms high and shouted to the sky.

Zhang Jie and nearly a hundred other Western Army generals, including Guo Cheng, Peng Sun, and Zhe Keshi, all raised their arms and shouted, roaring with all their might.

My long-cherished wish of decades has finally come true today!

"Destroy the country!"

"Destroy the country!"

"Destroy the country!"

For many days, more than 100,000 Song soldiers fought fiercely on and around the city walls, raising their arms and shouting as they stomped on the ground, their voices echoing through the sky.

Zhang Jie drew his long sword from his waist, pointed it at Xingzhou in the north of Lingzhou, and muttered to himself.

"Look northwest, shoot down the heavenly wolf!"

"That's what a man should do."

(End of this chapter)