Destroy Jin and conquer Song, and carry the Northern Expedition through to the end

Chapter 289: A Good Minister Quells Rebellion, Not Creates It

On October 6th, all the heroes of Shandong received Wei Sheng’s invitation to attend the alliance.

Liaodong.

Shicheng is located 50 miles northeast of Liaoyang Prefecture, the capital of the Jin Dynasty.

Five thousand cavalrymen galloped in from the north, their momentum impossible to conceal. The sound of their hooves was like thunder, and for a moment it was like a dark cloud mingled with wind and thunder rolling in from the horizon, dreading the surrounding herdsmen and farmers, who all fled the marching area.

There are about five thousand soldiers stationed outside the stone city. The camp is built very solidly, and there are also cavalry scouts patrolling outside. However, facing thousands of cavalrymen forming a battle formation and making an all-out attack, even these scouts may not be able to run faster than the five thousand cavalrymen.

"What's going on? Where did the army come from? Is Kuoli coming to attack us?"

Wanyan Mouyan climbed up the watchtower and looked into the distance.

Kuoli was a member of the Khitan uprising army, which had gathered tens of thousands of soldiers.

This man's uprising had many twists and turns. To put it simply, these tens of thousands of soldiers and horses were useless, but they gave Wanyan Yong and his followers an excuse to gather a large army.

Wanyan Yongzhen defeated Kuali's army of tens of thousands with only a few thousand people, thus gaining great prestige in Liaoyang Prefecture.

The defeated Kuali had no choice but to seek refuge with Saba.

Wanyan Mouyan also gathered troops in Chang'an in the name of guarding against Kuoli, so when he saw so many cavalrymen at this time, he really thought that Kuoli had come back to attack again.

However, when Wanyan Mouyan saw the two "Hesheli" flags of different sizes, he was suddenly shocked, but then he seemed to realize something and became furious.

"Xiao Loushi, this guy, actually wants to stop me at this time?"

At this time, five thousand cavalrymen had rushed to the camp. The gate of Wanyan Mouyan's camp was tightly closed and the drawbridge was retracted.

The cavalry did not attack forcefully. Two thousand of them dismounted and put on their armor, and the remaining three thousand light cavalry galloped around the camp, driving away the soldiers outside the camp while shouting loudly.

It was chaotic at first, but after a moment, the voices became unified: "The Minister of the Left invites General Wanyan to speak!"

The soldiers who were originally on high alert in the camp looked at each other, then looked at their superiors, but found that the officers were also at a loss.

If it was an enemy, there would be no problem, just draw your weapons and start fighting, but this is not an enemy.

The Shangshu Zuocheng of the Great Jin Dynasty is one of the top figures in the Jin Dynasty. Now he comes to visit Wanyan Mouyan, the governor of the Posu Road, to reminisce about the past. Although the force is a bit large, they can't be called enemies, right?

If we attack Shangshu Zuocheng at this time, would it be considered treason?

Hesheli Liangbi's surprise attack came so quickly that no one could react, and Wanyan Mouyan's troops were immediately thrown into a state of confusion and helplessness.

"General, what should we do?" Wuyan Chala, the fierce general who defeated the Kuoli uprising army and nicknamed Iron Mace Wanhu, came to Wanyan Mouyan's side and asked in a low voice.

Seeing this indomitable general hesitate, Wanyan Mouyan sighed deeply, "The army's morale is broken. This time, Little Loushi outsmarted me. I won't accept it... Damn it! Why did he return to his ancestral land?!"

After cursing loudly, Wanyan Mouyan said helplessly: "Cha La, I will go to meet them. You must guard the camp carefully. If I can't come back..."

Wu Yancha was shocked: "General, why don't you let me go? You must not let anything go wrong!"

Wanyan Mouyan chuckled. "With my status, I can't even hold my head up in front of Xiao Loushi. What can you do if you go? Don't worry, Xiao Loushi won't kill me, he will only take me hostage. When the time comes, you just need to guard the camp gate and wait for the victor's order. Don't let these men's lives be in jeopardy."

Wuyan Chala wanted to protect Wanyan Mouyan and fight his way out, but as soon as this thought came to his mind, he immediately felt a little panic.

If only Hesheli Zhining was outside, with Wuyan Chala's temperament, he would have picked up his two maces and led a hundred cavalry to charge into the battle.

But since Hesheli Liangbi was around, he really didn't dare to do so.

A person's reputation is like a tree's shadow. As the chief of the Hesheli tribe and the prime minister of the current dynasty, not to mention Wuyan Chala, even his father, Wuyan Puchanu, the current chief of the Shen Ce Army, would have to think twice.

A moment later, the camp gate opened and Wanyan Mouyan came out with only a few personal guards, carrying the general manager's banner.

The cavalry quickly surrounded them. Although they did not dare to offend the general manager of the route, they formed a circle under the leadership of the officers and sandwiched Wanyan Mouyan in the middle.

But after a while, the cavalry separated and Wanyan Mouyan came to the huge flag of Hesheli. There, Hesheli Liangbi had already set up a table with two teacups on it. There was also a small stove beside him, which was boiling tea.

Hesheli Liangbi sat upright on a stool, his face serene, fanning the charcoal in the stove with a small palm-leaf fan. If it weren't for the several generals standing solemnly behind him and the armored cavalry surrounding him on guard, it would have looked more like a picnic than a battle.

"Mou Yan, you're here," Hesheli Liangbi said with a smile, and then filled two teacups with tea. "The tea is just ready. You're in luck."

Wanyan Mouyan glanced at Hesheli Zhining, untied the weapon from his waist, threw it aside, walked forward, and sat opposite Hesheli Liangbi, not even drinking tea: "Xiao Loushi, long time no see."

Hesheli Liangbi smiled warmly, "Don't call me by that name. Isn't Xiao Loushi that Wanyan Guying? It's been many years, and I don't know how he's doing in Jin."

Wanyan Guying was the biological son of Wanyan Yinshuke, one of the three founding leaders of the Western Route Army. His Jurchen name was also Loushi. Loushi is similar to the Han Chinese characters for wealth and longevity, and is a very common name. However, due to Wanyan Loushi's immense fame, he was the only one worthy of this name.

"That fellow Gu Ying found a good job. After His Majesty's southern expedition, he was sent to Zhongdu as the garrison commander and participated in the encirclement and suppression of Saba." Wanyan Mouyan corrected Hesheli Liangbi's outdated information and sighed again, "It can be considered a proper assignment."

Hesheli Liangbi smiled but said nothing.

When the Jin Dynasty was founded, the Western Army was composed of the Wanyan clan's side branches and some outsiders. For example, the leader of the Western Army, Wanyan Nianhan, had the same great-grandfather as Wanyan Wushu. Even though he was in a high position and had great power, he was no longer a main branch.

Therefore, the Western Route Army was very united at the beginning. These second-generation officials, such as Wanyan Huo Nu, Wanyan Mou Yan, Wanyan Gu Ying, and Hesheli Liangbi, had very close relationships when they were young.

However, over the years, the Western Route Army was either split up or turned against the government and became villains in political struggles. Everyone was scattered across the country, and when they met again, they had become enemies. How could this not make people sigh?

After a moment, Wanyan Mouyan sighed, "My father said that Gu Ying might become a small-time general in the future. But now, his achievements and military strategies are unknown, while you, a general, are marching across thousands of miles like a famous general. Could it be that my father was wrong?"

Hesheli Liangbi smiled and said, "Of course I trust the judgment of King Loushi. As for an old man like me, if I didn't know that Mou Yan wouldn't resort to violence, I wouldn't dare to take the risk."

Wanyan Mouyan leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. "Oh? Liangbi, if you don't want to take any risks, why did you come here?"

Hesheli Liangbi's expression gradually became serious: "It's for the sake of state affairs."

Wanyan Mouyan said, "I am also doing this for the sake of state affairs. If that is the case, why don't you, Lord Liangbi, come with me and do great things for the country?"

Hesheli Liangbi shook his head: "Wanyan Yong will never accomplish anything."

"That's Duke Cao!" Wanyan Mouyan stood up in a rage, pointed his spear at Hesheli Liangbi and shouted, "How dare you call him by his name?"

"How dare you!" Hesheli Zhining stepped forward with his sword, shouting, "You're just a traitor! How can you be a duke?"

Wanyan Mouyan was extremely furious. Facing Hesheli Zhining's questioning, he replied with disdain: "Treason? How dare you accuse us of treason? Zhining, you are the son-in-law of the Fourth Prince. Tell me, if the Fourth Prince were to be resurrected and saw the country in this state, who would he say was the national sinner? Duke Cao? Or the current emperor?!"
You must know that settling the Khitans on the grasslands was your father-in-law's life's work! Now the Khitans have all rebelled. Was it us who forced them to do so?

After pushing Hesheli Zhining back, Wanyan Mouyan looked at Hesheli Liangbi again and said, "Liangbi, you are now calling us traitors.

Did we instigate the Khitan rebellion? And who is working so hard to maintain the situation?
Did we force the Meng'an and Mouke households to become thieves? And who is working hard to collect them?

In May, there was a major flood in Liaoyang Prefecture, Tokyo. Did the government provide relief? And who was working hard to provide disaster relief?

Wanyan Mouyan pointed to the camp behind him and said, "Liangbi, do you think that people like me and these tens of thousands of soldiers will obey Cao Guogong's orders just because of a word from him?
Isn't it because Duke Cao's deeds have convinced us, and made us feel that he is the only one who can take over the Jin Dynasty?"

At this point, Wanyan Mouyan's tone became pleading again: "Liangbi, if you truly value state affairs, please come and support Duke Cao and stop serving the emperor, okay?"

Hesheli Liangbi sighed deeply, "Mou Yan, no matter how much you say, it's no use to me. The elite troops of the imperial court are all on the southern expedition. If you succeed, even if your majesty dies, it won't be a pity, but what about the troops on the front lines? What about the fate of the Great Jin Dynasty?

Moreover, His Majesty always makes a thousand mistakes and is not right in every way, but he still used my strategy after all. How can I let him down?"

Wanyan Mouyan stared blankly at Hesheli Liangbi for a long time, and tears suddenly fell. He wiped his face and said, "Since you, Liangbi, are unwilling to save the Great Jin, then you can only rely on me, the chief steward!"

After saying that, Wanyan Mouyan suddenly kicked the table away, took cover, pulled out a sharp knife from his cowhide wrist guard, and stabbed it fiercely into Hesheli Liangbi's chest.

Just as Hesheli Liangbi knew that the key to the coup lay in Wanyan Yong and Wanyan Mouyan.

Wanyan Mouyan also knew that the key to the other side was Hesheli Liangbi.

Without this minister leading the charge, who else would have the prestige to resist Wanyan Yong? Hesheli Zhining? Or even Bai Yanjing, who dared not even show his face?
However, although Hesheli Zhining could not be called a famous general at that time, he was still a top warrior.

The man had been on guard against Wanyan Mouyan for a long time. When he saw the other party suddenly attacking and hurting people, he stepped forward and protected Hesheli Liangbi behind him. With a wave of his left hand, he used the iron wrist guard to knock Wanyan Mouyan out of his hand. With the unsheathed sword in his right hand, he hammered the other party's waist and abdomen with the sword ring.

Wanyan Mouyan was already fifty-three years old. As the saying goes, a young and strong man is better than a strong one. Although he was brave and aggressive when he was young, he was no match for Hesheli Zhining at this time.

After receiving such a powerful blow, even though he was wearing armor, he could only cough continuously for a while and couldn't even speak.

"Zhining, please spare his life." Hesheli Liangbi also stood up from his stool and said, "Mouyan, don't think about committing suicide. I still want to save Wanyan Yong's life.

"With you here, Wan Yanyong might still be alive. If you die, do you really think I'm the Thousand-Armed Guanyin? Can I withstand the arrows and spears of the army?"

Wanyan Mouyan coughed again for a long while before finally raising his head, his expression grim. "When I was studying under Master Gu Shen (Wanyan Xiyin), he said that we were all sharp swords, while Liangbi, you were the one who wielded the sword to rule the world. Now it seems that Master Gu Shen truly has a profound understanding of the world, something we cannot compare to."

Hesheli Liangbi stood with his hands behind his back, shaking his head. "The world is like a tide, so what if one can see through it like a fire? Aren't we also swept up in it, unable to be free? Even Mr. Ru was swept up in the tide, and his fate was ruined."

After saying this, Hesheli Liangbi gazed at the distant Tokyo City, lost in thought for a moment, and sighed again: "Zhining, you lead a thousand cavalry as the vanguard. Don't worry about anyone else and go straight to Wanyan Yong. Without Mouyan, he has no military strategy to resist. But there is only one thing: do not harm his life. Keep him under custody for the time being. This matter ends here."

Hesheli Zhining hesitated and wanted to say something, but in the end he did not dare to resist Liangbi's authority, so he immediately received the order to lead his troops away.

(End of this chapter)