Transmigrating to the Song Dynasty: Water Margin Business Management

Su Yuanjing then said to the hunter, "You stay in the army and inform us immediately if there are any new developments."

The hunter nodded repeatedly.

In the days that followed, Su Yuanjing urged his soldiers to intensify their training while sending people to scout out the movements of the Liao troops.

As the night approached the fifteenth of the lunar month, the atmosphere in the army became increasingly tense.

Su Yuanjing personally went to the valley to inspect the ambush situation and boosted the morale of the soldiers: "Soldiers, this battle concerns the peace of the border and the well-being of the people. We must make sure that the Liao soldiers never return!"

The soldiers shouted in unison, "We are ready to obey your orders and defend our country!"

Finally, the night of the full moon arrived. The night was as dark as ink, and the valley was completely silent.

Su Yuanjing stood on the city wall, his eyes fixed on the east.

Suddenly, the flames of war were lit.

Su Yuanjing drew his sword and shouted, "The Liao soldiers are here! Soldiers, kill!"

A lieutenant rushed over and reported to Su Yuanjing: "Sir, a scout has reported that Liao army supplies have been found in the valley to the north!"

Su Yuanjing frowned, thought for a moment, and said, "Let's quickly take some men and burn the grain and fodder to cut off their supply!"

Having said that, Su Yuan scenic spot assembled a team of elite soldiers, personally leading them, and sped off towards the valley to the north.

Under the cover of night, the group silently approached the valley. Su Yuanjing waved his hand, signaling everyone to stop. After observing the surroundings and confirming that there was nothing unusual, he led his men into the valley.

However, when they entered the so-called "grain pile," Su Yuanjing immediately sensed something was wrong. He reached out and touched it, his face changing drastically: "Oh no, we've fallen for a trap! This isn't grain at all, it's all dry hay!"

Before he could finish speaking, shouts of battle suddenly erupted from all sides, and ambushers surged out from all directions. Arrows rained down, plunging the Song army into chaos.

"Retreat quickly!" Su Yuanjing shouted.

The soldiers fought desperately, retreating as they fought. However, the Liao army was numerous and well-prepared, resulting in heavy casualties for the Song army.

Su Yuanjing led his remaining troops and barely managed to break through the encirclement, rushing towards the city. Along the way, he was anxious and filled with regret.

As they approached the city, they discovered that the city walls had been replaced with the flags of the Liao army.

Su Yuanjing glared angrily and cursed, "The Liao traitors are cunning! They actually seized the city while our army was out!"

At this moment, the Liao army on the city wall laughed loudly: "Su Yuanjing, today you are a turtle in a jar, why don't you surrender!"

Enraged, Su Yuanjing gritted his teeth and said, "Don't even think about it! I, Su Yuanjing, would rather die than surrender!"

The lieutenant asked, "Sir, what should we do now?"

Su Yuanjing gazed at the city, pondered for a moment, and said, "Let's find a secluded place to rest and recuperate before making any further plans."

The group found a secluded forest and rested there for the time being. Su Yuanjing, feeling troubled, paced back and forth.

"This time we fell into the Liao bandits' trap, suffering heavy losses and losing cities. How can I face His Majesty?" Su Yuanjing said remorsefully.

The soldiers all said, "Sir, victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. Please don't blame yourself too much."

Su Yuanjing said, "Now we need to think of a way to take back the city."

The deputy general said, "The Liao army has a large force and occupies the city, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack."

Su Yuanjing said, "Even so, we cannot sit idly by and wait for our doom. We should send people to scout out the situation in the city and see if there is any opportunity to take advantage of it."

Before long, the scout reported: "Sir, the Liao army in the city seems to be heavily guarded, but they are new to the city and are not familiar with the terrain."

Su Yuanjing's eyes lit up, and he said, "This is our opportunity."

Therefore, Su Yuanjing summoned his generals and devised a plan.

“Tonight, we will divide our forces into three groups. One group will feign an attack on the east gate to draw the Liao army’s attention; the second group will sneak in through the west gate amidst the chaos; and the third group will provide support outside the city,” Su Yuanjing said.

The generals responded in unison, "We will obey your orders, sir!"

The imperial edict arrived, stating that Su Yuanjing had misjudged people, lost the city, and disgraced the nation. He was to be immediately escorted back to the capital for questioning.

The eunuch's shrill voice echoed on the city tower. Upon hearing it, Su Yuanjing felt as if struck by lightning, his body swayed, and he almost lost his balance.

"My lord!" The adjutant beside him hurriedly reached out to support him.

Su Yuanjing's face was pale, and his eyes revealed despair and resentment: "I, Su Yuanjing, have devoted myself to the country, yet I have ended up like this!"

The lieutenant said indignantly, "Sir, this is due to the cunning of the Liao army, who succeeded in their treacherous scheme. How can you be blamed!"

Su Yuanjing sighed deeply: "When the emperor commands a subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die. I only regret that I was unable to completely defeat the Liao army and protect the borders and the people."

The eunuch delivering the imperial decree said in a sarcastic tone, "Lord Su, don't delay. Pack your things quickly and come back to the capital with me."

Su Yuanjing mustered his spirits, arranged the city's defenses, and then, with only a few trusted confidants, followed the imperial eunuch on his journey back to the capital.

Throughout the journey, Su Yuanjing was heavy-hearted and filled with countless thoughts. Recalling the battle against the Liao army, he realized that despite his best efforts, he had fallen into the enemy's trap, leading to the loss of the city, and he was filled with remorse.

"I, Su Yuanjing, have failed His Majesty's trust and the people on the border!" he murmured to himself.

His confidants comforted him, saying, "My lord, you have risked your life for the country; this is by no means your fault."

Su Yuanjing shook his head: "The mistake has been made, and any further explanation is futile."

They arrived at a post station and rested for a while. Su Yuanjing sat alone in his room, his brow furrowed with worry.

At this moment, there was a sudden noise outside the door.

"Let me in. I need to see Lord Su!"

Upon hearing the sound, Su Yuanjing got up and opened the door. He saw a soldier standing in the doorway with a face full of grief and indignation.

"What's the matter that you're in such a panic?" Su Yuanjing asked.

The soldier knelt down and cried, "Sir, the Liao army is rampaging across the border again, and the people are suffering terribly."

Su Yuanjing clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, saying, "It's hateful that I can't go into battle right now!"

Back in his room, Su Yuanjing didn't sleep a wink all night.

Several days later, they finally arrived in the capital. Su Yuanjing was taken directly into the palace.

On the golden throne, Emperor Huizong of Song looked at Su Yuanjing with a gloomy expression.

"Su Yuanjing, do you know your crime?" Emperor Huizong roared.

Su Yuanjing knelt down and kowtowed: "Your Majesty, I know my crime. I failed to see through the Liao army's trick and lost the city. I have failed Your Majesty's trust."

Gao Qiu, adding insult to injury, said, "Your Majesty, Su Yuanjing's defeat this time has damaged the prestige of our Great Song Dynasty. He should be severely punished!"

Cai Jing echoed, "Your Majesty, Su Yuanjing's dereliction of duty should not be lightly forgiven."

Su Yuanjing glared at Gao Qiu and Cai Jing: "You treacherous villains, all you know is to stir up trouble in the court and frame loyal officials! If it weren't for your factionalism and elimination of dissidents, how could the border defenses be so weak!"

Gao Qiu sneered, "Su Yuanjing, you can't even protect yourself now, yet you dare to spout such nonsense!"

Emperor Huizong slammed his fist on the dragon throne: "Silence! Su Yuanjing, considering your past merits, I will give you a chance to redeem yourself. Tell me, how do you plan to salvage this defeat?"

Su Yuanjing pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, although the Liao army has gained a temporary advantage, our Great Song is powerful. As long as Your Majesty can reorganize the military, select good generals, and redeploy the defenses, we will surely be able to defeat the Liao army and recover the lost territory."

Gao Qiu said, "Your Majesty, what Su Yuanjing said is nothing but an excuse, and should not be believed."

Su Yuanjing shouted, "Gao Qiu, you traitor! For your own selfish gain, you disregard the safety of the country. One day, you will be punished!"

Emperor Huizong was agitated: "Alright, Su Yuanjing, I will temporarily dismiss you from your post and imprison you. I will make a decision after careful consideration."

Su Yuanjing was dragged away by the guards, and he shouted, "Your Majesty, my loyalty is as clear as the sun and moon!"

Inside the prison, Su Yuanjing felt utterly hopeless.

"Is my Great Song Dynasty really going to be destroyed by such treacherous officials?" he muttered to himself in grief and indignation.

Meanwhile, Gao Qiu, Cai Jing, and their cronies were secretly plotting to kill Su Yuanjing.

Su Yuanjing knew perfectly well that the hunter was highly suspicious, which was why he had fallen into the trap. He sent people to search for him with all their might, but they never found him.

Meanwhile, Gao Qiu and Cai Jing seized the opportunity to advise Emperor Huizong of Song: "Your Majesty, we have found out the identity of that hunter. He is not an ordinary hunter at all, but a Liao general named Yelü in disguise, whose purpose is to infiltrate Song territory and gather intelligence."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Huizong's expression changed drastically: "Is this really true? Why would Su Yuanjing so easily believe him?"

Gao Qiu said, "Your Majesty, Su Yuanjing was negligent and fell into the Liao people's trap, which led to the loss of the city. His crime is unforgivable."

Cai Jing echoed, "Your Majesty, Su Yuanjing's actions seriously endanger the safety of our Great Song Dynasty and should be severely punished."

Emperor Huizong pondered for a moment and said, "This matter still needs further investigation."

Su Yuanjing was furious when he learned of Gao Qiu and Cai Jing's advice: "These two traitors have turned black into white and framed me!"

Emperor Huizong sat on his dragon throne, his face grim. At that moment, a eunuch arrived to report that Su Yuanjing was in prison requesting an audience with His Majesty. Emperor Huizong snorted coldly and said, "I will not see him! He has committed such a grave offense; what face does he have to see me!"

Gao Qiu and Cai Jing exchanged a glance, secretly pleased. Cai Jing stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, we have new evidence to prove that Su Yuanjing harbors treacherous intentions."

Emperor Huizong frowned and said, "Bring it here."

Cai Jing pulled out a stack of letters from his sleeve and said, "Your Majesty, this is the evidence we have found that Su Yuanjing had dealings with the Liangshan bandits in the past. Su Yuanjing is secretly colluding with Song Jiang and others, with ulterior motives."

Gao Qiu added, “Your Majesty, Su Yuanjing first trusted the Liao people too easily, leading to the loss of the city. Now he has been found to have ties with the Liangshan bandits. In my opinion, his encounter with the Liao soldiers and the pursuit of Yelü Hong are no coincidences. It must be a conspiracy between him and the Liao people.”

Emperor Huizong slammed his fist on the table and roared, "How dare Su Yuanjing be so audacious!"

Taking the opportunity, Cai Jing advised, "Your Majesty, Song Jiang, Zhao Tianming, and their gang are traitors and must not be allowed to live. Now that Su Yuanjing's affair has been exposed, their crimes should be thoroughly investigated and they should be executed immediately to uphold the law and appease the people."

Gao Qiu echoed, "Your Majesty, this matter should be decided quickly to avoid any unforeseen complications."

Emperor Huizong paced back and forth, pondered for a moment, and said, "Issue my decree that the three judicial departments conduct a joint trial and thoroughly investigate the crimes of Su Yuanjing, Song Jiang, and others!"

Gao Qiu and Cai Jing responded in unison, "Your Majesty is wise!"

After the court session, Gao Qiu and Cai Jing were smug and triumphant.

Gao Qiu laughed and said, "This time, Su Yuanjing has no chance of escaping. Let's see how he can turn things around."

Cai Jing said, "As long as we eliminate him along with Song Jiang and the others, there will be no more obstacles in the court."

Meanwhile, Su Yuanjing, who was in prison, was completely unaware of all this and was still racking his brains about how to clear his name.