Chapter 105: The Beginning of the Strategy

Zhang Jue was a stout man of about fifty with shifty, pale-eyed gaze, giving him the unmistakable air of a treacherous scoundrel. The moment they met, he began showering Zhao Yu and Yelu Min with obsequious flattery.

"His Highness the Prince of Song and General Yelu are truly divine figures! To have accomplished such a world-shaking feat—it is an achievement without precedent and surely one that will never be matched. It is truly a cause for celebration!"

Yelu Min said impatiently, "It was entirely due to the Prince’s brilliant planning; it has nothing to do with me. Spare me the nonsense. What have you come here for?"

A flash of anger crossed Zhang Jue’s eyes, though his tone remained sycophantic. "After I received the news, I prepared some modest wine to toast you both. Furthermore, I have a small, rather uncomfortable request..."

"General Zhang, Aguda is dead. Are you disappointed?"

Before Zhang Jue could finish, Zhao Yu interrupted with a sudden, seemingly nonsensical question.

"What does Your Highness mean by that?" Zhang Jue’s expression shifted dramatically as he blurted out the question.

Zhao Yu shrugged. "General Zhang, you shouldn't be a stranger to the name Zhao Liangsi, right?"

Upon hearing the name, sweat instantly broke out on Zhang Jue’s brow. He stubbornly insisted, "I don't know any Zhao Liangsi. Your Highness would do well not to spout such nonsense."

Standing nearby, Yelu Min’s suspicions were piqued. He frowned and asked, "Your Highness, who is this Zhao Liangsi?"

"He is no one of consequence—merely a liaison between the Jurchens and the Great Song. I had the good fortune to hear him mention you, General Zhang. It seems you promised the Jurchens that as soon as their army attacked, you would surrender the four prefectures of Ping, Shuo, Yun, and Ying. General Zhang, am I speaking correctly?"

"You—you are talking nonsense! You are slandering me! General Yelu, he is a spy for the Song people! Do not listen to him!"

"Hmph! When I passed through Nanjing last time, I felt something was off about you. Guards! Take this double-dealing traitor into custody!"

This was Yelu Min’s base, and with the limited forces remaining in Nanjing, even if Zhang Jue’s men had wanted to intervene, they were powerless to do so. The guards outside the tent swarmed in and swiftly dragged a struggling Zhang Jue away.

"I am grateful for your warning, Your Highness. Otherwise, we would have remained blinded by this scoundrel."

Zhao Yu waved a hand. "When I first heard the name Zhang Jue, it merely sounded familiar. But come to think of it, with a place as important as Nanjing, you really cannot let it fall into the hands of others again."

Some people are born with ambition, while others find it slowly germinating as their circumstances change. Yelu Min was one such person. Initially, serving by the Emperor’s side, he felt nothing unusual; but after being sent to govern the Youzhou region, he began to realize the intoxicating allure of power. Especially after receiving the Emperor's decree for Zhao Yu to lead the mission to the Jin state, the ambition suppressed deep within his heart erupted. It was only then he realized that perhaps he had long wanted Zhao Yu gone so he could rule the Yanyun territory alone.

Prompted by Zhao Yu, he suddenly saw the light: once Zhang Jue was removed, he needed to appoint a loyal subordinate to manage Nanjing. Yelu Min felt a sudden pang of regret; if only Zhao Yu were a common Han subject, he could have fully utilized the man's brilliance.

Night once again blanketed the earth, and Zhao Yu found himself in a separate camp. The mission was composed of three hundred men, ostensibly sent to escort him to the Jin state, but Zhao Yu knew the commanding officers were undoubtedly tasked with keeping him under surveillance.

Worries are products of one's own mind, and the more one dwells on them, the more troublesome they become. Deciding to let go, Zhao Yu ordered some wine and food prepared and invited Han Shizhong over. By now, Han’s arm had been set, and he was no longer bound by ropes. Given his skills, he could have easily overpowered Zhao Yu, yet Zhao Yu remained completely unguarded. Aside from the two of them, there was no one else in the tent.

Han Shizhong was curious. He scanned the area to ensure they were alone, then could not help but ask coldly, "Are you not even a little afraid that I might hold you hostage?"

"Would fear be of any use? Besides, do you think you can even return to the Great Song? Come, let us chat. Perhaps after we talk, you won’t want to leave anymore."

Han Shizhong could not leave, for his family was still in Zhao Yu’s hands. He sat down, grabbed the wine pot to fill his cup, and downed it in one gulp.

Zhao Yu poured himself a bowl, took a small sip, and said, "Come with me to the Jurchen lands."

Han Shizhong froze, his cup suspended in mid-air. "Is the Liao Kingdom so devoid of men?"

A mocking smile flickered across Zhao Yu’s lips. "This has nothing to do with whether there are men or not. What matters is that there are those who do not want me to live."

Han Shizhong set down his cup, looked around, and leaned in close to whisper, "Your Highness, why not return to the Great Song with me? With your talents, who is to say what you might achieve in the future..."

Before he could finish, Zhao Yu waved him off. "Brother Han, you are too honest. You don't think I was sent to the Liao Kingdom because someone framed me?"

Lowering his voice, Zhao Yu continued, "Do you remember my vision of a Great China? Let us venture into the Jurchen dragon’s den together. When we return to Youzhou, you and I, brothers in arms, will accomplish something truly great."

Meeting Zhao Yu’s resolute gaze, Han Shizhong was moved. It turned out this young Prince truly held such lofty ambitions in his heart.

"Brother Han, I am a Prince of the Great Song. The Yan and You regions have been our Han lands since ancient times. Reclaiming them under my watch is only right and proper. You need not feel any burden, for we are embarking on a feat that will benefit generations to come."

Zhao Yu spoke with earnest sincerity, staring unblinkingly at Han Shizhong. After a long moment, Han Shizhong’s eyes sharpened. He raised his cup in a toast to Zhao Yu and drained it. Seeing this, Zhao Yu finally smiled.

Under that same night sky, at a camp a hundred miles away, Lin Chong and Wu Song were drinking together.

"Instructor Lin, do you feel Yelu Min is a bit strange? I have the sense he is hiding something from us."

"He is a bit odd, but it should not be anything major. He wouldn't dare do anything against the Prince even if he had the courage."

"Regardless, I will return to the Prince at dawn. I am never at ease when I cannot see him."

The two had been dispatched by Yelu Min to escort grain supplies ahead of the main group. Knowing Zhao Yu was not far behind, they had not thought much of it at the time, but as the night quieted, their unease grew. Wu Song, being a straightforward man, wanted to turn back immediately.

"Brother, do not be hasty. With Yan Qing by the Prince’s side, if anything were truly wrong, Yan Qing would have sent word. Do not forget the task the Prince entrusted to us."

Hearing Lin Chong mention the mission, Wu Song fell silent. They knew well that their duty was to cultivate loyal subordinates so they could eventually seize control of the Youzhou army.

After a moment, Wu Song said, "Instructor Lin, if we are to complete the task the Prince gave us, I believe it is necessary for us to draw a clear line between ourselves and him."

Lin Chong was startled, a flicker of realization crossing his eyes.