bookbashuk Chapter 169 Awarding Merit
Chapter 169 Awarding Merit
Chapter 169 Awarding Merit
Hong Qi knew that this matter was of great importance, concerning the three kingdoms of Song, Jin, and Xia, and could not be taken lightly.
He ordered the three prisoners to be taken to the imperial court, while he himself went to report to Zhao Yu.
After listening to Hong Qi's words, Zhao Yu looked at the Western Xia warrior below whose jaw had been dislocated. Without saying anything more, he flicked his finger, sending a wisp of extremely thin cold air into the other's body.
When the Life and Death Talisman entered his body, he didn't feel anything at first, but after a short while, the Western Xia man began to convulse, his face contorted with bulging veins, and he rolled on the ground in pain.
Despite the excruciating pain, his jaw was dislocated, preventing him from even screaming, making him look utterly miserable.
"this----"
Seeing this person's appearance, Hong Qi couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him.
Zhao Yu remained unfazed: "If the Western Xia succeeds in its plan, and the Song and Jin dynasties go to war again, the number of soldiers and civilians killed or wounded will far exceed 100,000. My actions are still too lenient on them. If war were to break out again, even being torn to pieces would not be excessive."
,
That's definitely the logic.
Hong Qi sighed: "Fine, I really can't stand this old beggar. Do whatever you want with me."
With a stomp of his foot, Hong Qi vanished, no longer caring about the matter.
Zhao Yu didn't force the issue, but simply continued to coldly observe the man being tortured.
In less than half an incense stick's time, that person's will completely collapsed.
Zhao Yu nodded slightly, signaling a guard to step forward and put the man's jaw back in place. The man immediately began to pant heavily and confessed everything.
They were indeed warriors of the Western Xia First-Class Hall.
Seeing that the war between the Song and Jin dynasties was gradually subsiding and that the Western Xia were willing to negotiate peace, the Western Xia became anxious.
Once the Song and Jin dynasties cease hostilities, the Jin dynasty will inevitably transfer its main force to the western front to deal with the Western Xia.
Therefore, they deliberately sent someone to assassinate the Jin envoy, hoping to frame the Song Dynasty, completely break up the peace talks, and continue fighting between the two countries, so as to give the Western Xia a chance to breathe.
"A clever plan." Zhao Yu sneered after hearing this. "I haven't even gone to cause them any trouble yet, and they've already made their move."
The guard beside him asked, "Your Majesty, what should we do about this? Should we send someone to tell the Jurchens the truth, so they don't misunderstand?"
[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name: 202ᴋᴋs.ᴄᴏᴍ]
"There's no need to bring it up specifically." Zhao Yu waved his hand. "Let the peace talks proceed as they should. The Jurchens also want a ceasefire; they can guess the truth. As for the Western Xia—the intelligence agency—it should naturally be dealt with by the intelligence agency. The Eastern Depot has been established for so long; it's time for it to shed some blood."
""
He immediately picked up his pen and wrote a secret letter, sealed it in a sealing wax envelope, and ordered it to be sent to Lin'an by express courier.
The letter instructed Wang Huai'an to immediately conduct a thorough investigation of spies from the Western Xia and Jin states within the territory of the Song Dynasty, and to eliminate all enemy spies without mercy.
With the chaos in Lin'an quelled, it's time for Wang Huai'an, the head of the Eastern Depot, to stretch his muscles a bit.
This incident actually accelerated the peace talks.
The Jin people suspected that the Western Xia were behind it, and they cursed under their breath, but they didn't want to cause any more trouble.
Both sides compromised and quickly finalized all the terms.
Finally, Wanyan Congyi, carrying the official letter from the Jin Dynasty, officially came to the Marshal's Mansion to sign the contract.
Zhao Yu sat upright in the hall, took the letter of state, examined it carefully, picked up the imperial seal, and stamped it heavily.
The vermilion seal fell onto the silk cloth, marking the temporary end of this months-long war.
"Your Majesty, I congratulate you," Wanyan Congyi said, bowing. "The cessation of hostilities between the two countries, allowing the people to live in peace, is all thanks to Your Majesty."
Zhao Yu put down the imperial seal and looked at him meaningfully: "I also hope that this peace can last longer. Envoy, you have worked hard for the peace between our two countries. Thank you for your hard work."
Wanyan Congyi raised his head, his expression equally pointed: "Your Majesty is too kind. I also hope that our two countries will never again be at war. It's not that I'm suffering. But I also know that some things are ultimately unavoidable. I only hope that the next time I see Your Majesty, it won't be on the battlefield."
The two understood each other without saying a word.
The long-standing feud and territorial disputes between the Song and Jin dynasties could not be completely resolved with a single peace treaty.
Today's ceasefire is merely a prelude to building up strength for the next war.
The Song Dynasty would not stand idly by and watch its ancestral lands fall into enemy hands, and the Jin Dynasty would not stand by and watch the Song Dynasty grow stronger. The conflict between the two countries was fundamental.
Before leaving, Wanyan Congyi bowed again and asked, "Your Majesty, I have another request. Our sixth prince, Wanyan Honglie, unfortunately passed away while on a diplomatic mission to Lin'an, and his remains are still there. I hope Your Majesty will grant us permission to bring his remains back to the Jin Kingdom for a proper burial."
After a moment's thought, Zhao Yu nodded: "Alright. I will send someone to Lin'an to instruct them to return Wanyan Honglie's coffin to the Jin Kingdom."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Wanyan Congyi bowed deeply, then turned to take his leave.
Wanyan Honglie was killed by Zhao Yu, but Zhao Yu claimed that he died an unfortunate death, which shows that the Jurchens were biding their time and waiting for their revenge.
The next major war between the two countries is not far off.
Zhao Yu was fully aware of this.
He picked up the signed peace agreement and tossed it aside casually; peace was only temporary.
Once he has reorganized the new army, restored the livelihood of the people in Shandong, and accumulated enough national strength, the next Northern Expedition will not only take Shandong.
He will take back Kaifeng, the ancient capital, and the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun!
Before the ink of the peace treaty was even dry, Zhao Yu had already ordered all his troops to slowly retreat south.
Troops were stationed along the way to garrison various prefectures and counties, pacify displaced people, repair water conservancy projects, and gradually restore the livelihood of the people in Shandong.
The army was moving slowly, but he was unwilling to wait any longer. He selected three thousand elite light cavalry and led his personal guards south ahead, heading straight for Lin'an.
Although Lin Chaoying swiftly quelled the palace coup launched by Zhao Kuo, unrest remained in the court and undercurrents were also present in local prefectures.
The senior officials in the court and the local generals have different thoughts, and only when the emperor returns to take charge can things truly be stabilized.
After the group arrived in Xiangyang, Wang Chongyang and his disciples, including Qiu Chuji, were already waiting by the roadside.
This is his defense zone. Since the Song army recovered Shandong, he has been stationed here to organize troops, deploy defenses, pacify the local area, and guard against the Jin army in Guanzhong.
"Your Majesty has had a long and arduous journey."
Wang Chongyang bowed respectfully, wearing a plain Taoist robe with a light armor over it. His beard and hair showed signs of frost, but his expression remained clear and bright.
"Master Wang, you've worked hard." Zhao Yu dismounted and helped him up personally. "Shandong has just been pacified, and there are countless things to manage. We rely entirely on your leadership."
The two entered the city side by side and walked all the way to the government office.
After dismissing everyone around him, Zhao Yu took out a yellowed silk book from his sleeve and pushed it in front of Wang Chongyang.
"This is----
Wang Chongyang looked down and saw the words "Xiao Wuxiang Gong" written on the cover of the silk book. He opened it and glanced at it. His pupils contracted slightly, and he suddenly looked up at Zhao Yu.
"Your Majesty, this merit is extremely profound and far too precious for me to accept."
""
With his level of cultivation, he could naturally see the significance of this secret manual.
The Lesser Formless Skill is exquisite and profound, a unique skill of the Free and Unfettered Sect. In terms of quality, it is no less than the Innate Skill, and even surpasses it in terms of complexity and inclusiveness.
How can such a precious treasure be given away so easily?
"Does the real person think that I can't see your body?"
Zhao Yu did not take back the secret manual: "Back then, the True Man led an uprising against the Jin, fighting across thousands of miles in over a hundred battles, large and small. His old wounds had long since accumulated and were difficult to heal. Later, he became disheartened, which further depleted his vital energy. Even though the Innate Skill is a wonderful method for nourishing life, it cannot withstand the torment of his mental illness and the difficulty in curing his hidden ailments."
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