Volume 3 Chapter 53: Comparison
"Woliyan (Lou Shi)."
The first to act was Yin Shuke, but the first to speak was the inventor of the Jurchen script, the Marshal's Right Supervisor Wanyan Xiyin (Huo Nu). He frowned slightly and pointed out the key point directly. "Even if there is something wrong with the current situation, you should not exaggerate to such an extent, and you should not say it here... Because here are the king, the Marshal, the princes, the Bojilie, and the Marshals of the Marshal's Office. If you, as a general of the country, say such absurd words here, it may be a bloody storm!"
"That's exactly what I want." Lou Shi turned to Wanyan Xiyin, his tone still sincere, but with a hint of thunder and lightning.
After all, as Wanyan Xiyin said, this man is a national general.
At this point, Xi Yin sighed slightly and fell silent.
Lou Shi continued to speak to Wanyan Xiyin in a serious tone: "I know your ambition, Right Commander. You are determined to find a proper system for the country. You want to learn from the Liao Dynasty and the Song Dynasty to establish a unified rule. I also think that this is the way to go. The Jin Dynasty is indeed too chaotic now... We Jurchens have our own rules, Khitans' rules, and Han people's rules. We use them randomly and miscellaneously. I don't know which one is better or which one is right? There is no proper place in the whole country. We all rely on strong soldiers to suppress it. But the more this is the case, the more we need to rectify the military first, otherwise we will not be able to suppress it directly."
Wanyan Xiyin still kept his head down and said nothing.
"Right Supervisor." Seeing the other party like this, Lou Shi sighed helplessly. "Wuliyan knows that Right Supervisor's method is the way to long-term peace and stability, but doesn't Right Supervisor still have a few more decades to live, while I, Wuliyan, am about to die? Right Supervisor still has a few decades to rectify the rules, but this kind of absurd words, the fourth prince and I can only say now..."
Wanyan Xiyin opened his mouth but didn't say anything in agreement, apparently feeling uncomfortable.
At this time, Marshal Nianhan suddenly laughed: "Do you two think that the Great Jin will perish? Taizu has only been gone for less than ten years..."
Since Nianhan had spoken, many people followed suit with a smile.
But among them, Lou Shi, Xi Yin, and Wushu who had stood up earlier turned their heads to look at Nianhan, but surprisingly, none of them smiled.
Nianhan didn't bother to pay attention to Wuzhu, but after taking a closer look at Xiyin and Loushi, his expression immediately became unbearable. Once he became serious, all the people in the hall who were a little more serious also looked solemn.
By this point, Lou Shi’s purpose has already become clear.
Even if they didn't know or understand Lou Shi, didn't they have the Fourth Prince Wanyan Wushu who quickly formed an alliance on the spot? In Yanjing City, who didn't know that Wushu had always insisted on sending troops south to attack Zhao Song?
Therefore, there was no need for any doubt or discussion. Lou Shi, who had returned empty-handed during his expedition to the south and seemed to have little time left, came to ask for reinforcements. He came to persuade the nobles in the hall who could make decisions to make up their minds and lead the army south while they could still fight.
However, his reasons were indeed absurd, just as absurd as the words that the Fourth Prince Wuzhu usually said. Most people instinctively thought that he was exaggerating at first, and this was also true.
But what is even more interesting is that Wanyan Xiyin was the first to respond, but he tacitly acknowledged the premise that the country had huge problems and crises, and then went straight to the next level of debate - were they arguing about whether to deal with the crisis with political reform or with military means?
This made some people who thought that the Jin Dynasty was invincible feel embarrassed.
Because these two men, one is the most learned person in the Great Jin Kingdom, and the other is the best fighter in the Great Jin Kingdom.
If two people simultaneously confirm that the national situation is bad, then the situation is probably really bad.
"I remember Xi Yin wrote something." Wu Qimai had already become serious, but he was thinking with his hands behind his back. "He said that there were two big mistakes since we founded the country... One is that the system is unclear, so after Xie Ye died, we didn't know who would be the Anban Bojilie (successor); the other is that the system is not unified. It is obviously one country, but there are four or five ways to govern the country. For example, the migration of Shanxi people to Huining Prefecture has been a fuss for several years, and the Han people in Hebei are not in harmony with the Meng'an and Mouke systems. It has also been going on for several years. They say that it is all caused by the system... I actually know all these, but I just think that our military is strong and we can always suppress it slowly. But according to what Oliyan (Lou Shi) said today, is even the military gradually failing?"
"Let the king know." Lou Shi finally had the chance to bow and say seriously. "This is exactly what Wuliyan wants to say today... First, our troops have been declining in the past few years, especially after the success in Bianliang. With so many children and money, they have become arrogant and more afraid of death. This is human nature, and I don't need to explain it; second, the Song people have almost lost their country since that time, but they missed a king, Kang, so they gradually gained power and their troops are getting better and better. This is also true... One is rising, the other is falling. It's only been three or four years, and the Song people have already become powerful, and we have also suffered a defeat. If we drag it on, it will only get worse and worse."
"So what Wuliyan means is that while people like you and I who are about to die are still alive, and while there are still enough soldiers who are willing to fight, we should go out of Bianliang directly and destroy Zhao Song once again, regardless of our energy and lives?" Wuqimai continued to ask seriously.
"That's not the case." Lou Shi was honest. "To be honest with you, my lord, I went south this time and found out that the Song army's so-called imperial camp troops are already quite strong. In addition, they are well-prepared, especially in Henan, which is around Bianliang. The army is concentrated and the support is fast. Unfortunately, we have lost the initiative on the water. It is difficult to destroy the Zhao Song in a short time..."
Wuqimai and everyone in the hall were stunned again.
But Nianhan couldn't help but sneer: "I didn't know that it's only been three years and the Song people have already become so powerful?"
"Got it!" Lou Shi bowed to Nianhan earnestly. "Marshal, please don't underestimate the enemy."
"Then what do you want to do?" Nianhan suddenly seemed a little annoyed and asked this question before Wuqimai could.
"I asked for permission to go south earlier, with the intention of testing and investigating." Lou Shi continued to speak with his hands clasped, still in that unhurried tone. "And I found several flaws in the Song army..."
"Tell me." The eldest prince Wanyan Woben finally spoke.
Lou Shi immediately raised his voice and spoke eloquently:
"Firstly, the Song army is also divided into east and west armies. The east is the imperial camp, and the west is the rebuilt western army. However, the imperial camp has as many as 200,000 soldiers, and the soldiers are better equipped and have higher morale. However, the western army is a repeatedly defeated army. Although it has improved, its foundation is still extremely poor, and its number is only 40,000 to 50,000..."
"Secondly, at the moment, although the Song army has some strength, it is only some strength. There is no large cavalry, so it can only passively defend. Some places, such as Jingdong and Huaidong, dare not be opened. The other troops are also limited in the distance of mutual support..."
"Thirdly, the Song army is still good at bows and crossbows, artillery carts, and city defense, but is still weak against cavalry. It is said that they can defend the city but not fight in the field..."
"Therefore, in my opinion, there is no chance of winning the battle east of Shanzhou, but there is still much to be done in Guanxi. If we can unite the eastern and western armies and press westward, sweeping from northern Shanzhou to the south, we may be able to win the battle in Guanxi and annex Shanzhou, and with Shanzhou in our hands..."
"If we have Guanshan in our hands," Yin Shuke, the second most famous general in existence, suddenly interrupted. "It's worth it no matter how many people die, because Guanshan and Jingdong are in our hands, and the Song people will have to abandon the Central Plains even if they have great abilities, and even Bashu will have great potential."
When everyone heard Yin Shuke's words, they had different reactions.
The young ones only thought that since the two famous generals of the existing countries had said so, this move would naturally have great potential, but the older and more resourceful ones were more keenly aware that Yin Shuke's words were similar to Wanyan Xiyin's words before, and they were similar in nature:
Wanyan Xiyin came up and rebuked the other party for resorting to war, which was a tacit acknowledgement that the country was in a serious crisis and that something had to be done; and Yin Shuke came up and directly discussed the feasibility of the military plan, which was also obviously a recognition of the necessity of sending troops first.
In fact, a person's reputation is like a tree's shadow. With Lou Shi's sudden arrival and his insistence on sending troops and his presentation of some practical reasons, many people have been shaken. But Yin Shuke suddenly expressed his position, and the king Wuqimai, several princes, marshals of the Marshal's Office, and Zhu Bojilie all instinctively felt that troops should be sent.
In fact, it is a national tradition to send troops abroad when there is internal unrest.
Of course, things might be a little abrupt, and everyone might still find it a little difficult to adapt psychologically. Moreover, since troops will be dispatched from both the east and west routes, a new round of "discussions" among the three major factions is inevitable.
However, no matter what, the current situation seems to be moving in the direction that Lou Shi wants.
The reason why I say "seem" is that at this critical moment when almost everyone was tempted, Lou Shi, Yin Shuke and Xi Yin's superior, who was also their de facto political leader, the powerful Marshal Nianhan, suddenly stood up without saying a word, and then, without concealing his anger, he walked away from Wuqimai and Lou Shi, causing an uproar among the people in the hall.
Now that Nianhan is in power, no one can do anything if he is unhappy.
Just like that, Lou Shi's sudden audience with the Shangshu Province in Yanjing ended in a bad mood, and the plan of this Jin general who was going to spend the last days of his life on it was shelved.
But surprisingly, Lou Shi still remained calm enough and showed the demeanor of a general.
At noon that day, the king gave a banquet. After the banquet, Wanyan Loushi declined the invitation of the fourth prince Wushu. He wanted to find Wanyan Xiyin to talk, but Xiyin left early, obviously avoiding Loushi... In desperation, Loushi could only return with his old friend Yin Shuke, but he planned to bring his son to live in the home of this man who had just taken office in Yanjing for a few months.
"Don't blame the Marshal, and don't blame Xi Yin. You came at the wrong time." The two of them had been friends for decades, and naturally had no taboos. So after Wanyan Mouyan blocked the guards from behind, Yin Shuke spoke directly and talked about some taboo topics.
"What are Marshal Du and Xi Yin going to do?" Lou Shi was still calm.
"Xi Yin wants to do something, but the Marshal wants to do something but doesn't want to do anything at the same time. But you guys always have to do something." Yin Shuke said with a smile as if he was telling a tongue twister. "You are not in Yanjing, and you have never been involved in political disputes, so of course you don't know these things... The king wants his son to take over the throne, and the eldest prince and the third prince also have their own ideas. The Marshal transferred me and Xi Yin to Yanjing, hoping to completely suppress the other two families and take this opportunity to control the government. What's the result? After Xi Yin came, he didn't help the Marshal to make plans, but instead thought about reforming the official system and setting up three provinces and six ministries. But the Marshal couldn't stand these things of the Han people the most. Before you came, Xi Yin was driven out of his home by the Marshal, and now both of them are angry. The king is also trying to win over Xi Yin."
"Let's not talk about Xi Yin." Lou Shi finally frowned. "Even if it's the Marshal, I'm not afraid that he will suspect that I have two minds. You know, I come from the Seven Waters, unlike you who are a legitimate royal family, so I can only be by the Marshal's side for the rest of my life. And if we conquer Guanxi this time, won't it also benefit the Western Route Army more? And with the Marshal's intelligence, he will wake up sooner or later after he gets angry... But if he insists on first deciding the position of Anban Bojilie (crown prince) before discussing other things, it will be a bit troublesome."
"That's the truth." Yin Shuke finally frowned. "Wuliyan, you know me. Although I have many sons, my eldest son, who is the most useful, died under the city of Nanyang. Balisu also told me a lot about the officials and soldiers in the south... So, before you went south this time, no one in the court understood the rise of the Zhao Song army better than me, not to mention that after you went south to see the Song army with your own eyes this time, you still think that we should fight, then we should fight. But you must also know that there are three powers in the court. After the eldest prince and the third prince divided their power, the princes, Bojilie, and the marshals only have the right to make suggestions, while the king and the marshal have the right to directly veto. Among them, the king is the king after all, and he still has to consider the overall situation. This time, he was directly shocked by your sincerity. I think nine out of ten times he agrees to send troops, but you can't bypass the marshal."
"What should we do?" Lou Shi also pulled the reins helplessly. "With the temper of the Du Marshal, he will definitely not punish me, but it is normal for him to just keep his temper and not send troops. And at this time of year, if we delay for a while, and it is later in summer, it will not be surprising, but we will really miss the hunting season."
"Help him secure the position of Anban Bojilie." Yin Shuke suddenly laughed again. "What else can I do?"
"This kind of thing has been delayed for half a year and still hasn't been completed. How can it be hastily decided?" Lou Shi frowned more and more.
"It is precisely because it has been delayed for so long, and your coming to Yanjing has caused panic among the people, that it is hard to say whether it can be settled directly." Yin Shuke said seriously.
"The silver technique is OK." Lou Shi suddenly stopped his horse in the middle of the road, then sighed. "I am doing this for both public and private purposes... It is true that I am doing this for the sake of the country to take Guanxi and settle the Central Plains, but what I said to the king in the hall today, for the sake of two useless sons, is absolutely not false... I am also thinking of taking advantage of the situation to expand the base for the Marshal, repaying the favor, and finding a safe place like Hebei for the soldiers under our Western Route Army to seek peace of mind, which is not false."
"I know." Yin Shuke also stopped his horse and faced him, but suddenly laughed after the other person finished speaking. "You have been like this all your life, you are very clear-headed, you know all the pros and cons, you understand all the situations, but no matter what you get, you just go to the front of the horse and don't care about anything else... Hehe... But you are a person who has won every battle in your life, you can get anything in front of the horse, you can't refuse!"
"Since you know this, why do you want me to get involved in this matter?"
"Since I know, why would I need you to get involved?" Yin Shuke laughed again. "I already have a brilliant idea that can resolve this matter and satisfy both Du Yuanshuai and Xi Yin, but it has always been a little short of the right idea..."
Lou Shi remained silent.
"I want the Grand Marshal to appoint the grandson of Taizu, the orphan of the deceased fifth prince, Hela, who is only twelve years old, as Anbanbojilie." Yin Shuke simply revealed the truth. "For Xiyin, this is a system of primogeniture, and he will definitely have nothing to say; for the Grand Marshal, not only can it abandon the king's family and the two older princes, it will greatly establish his authority, but more importantly, Hela is young, and the Grand Marshal will be able to govern the country as a regent in the future... So the Grand Marshal will definitely be happy about this, and Xiyin will definitely agree. If the Grand Marshal is happy and Xiyin agrees, we can go and talk about it, and our Western Army will be united, and we will naturally be able to send troops in large numbers at that time."
Lou Shi still remained silent.
"And I won't hide it from Wuliyan, I've been in Yanjing for a few months and have a very good relationship with Talai. He is very trusted by the king, but he has been having a very difficult time these days. I can also see that the king has no successors, and I have wanted to show my goodwill to the Marshal several times... With him around, even if Hela is established, the king will most likely not delay in sending troops." Yin Shuke added.
Lou Shi still didn't speak.
"The split between the eldest prince and the third prince has caused panic among the people of the Eastern Army. At this time, the fourth prince plays a very important role. Based on his performance in the court today, if you can talk to him frankly, if you can pull him here, and because he is the grandson of Taizu after all, then the princes may be able to overthrow the whole situation. Two of the three families have determined the situation, and the king's confidants have also admitted defeat. Then based on the king's character, this matter will most likely be resolved..." Yin Shuke finally said the key point.
"Where does the Fourth Prince live?" Wanyan Loushi finally spoke.
Yin Shuke smiled and then pursed his lips to signal his personal guards to lead the way, but he couldn't help but sigh: "I knew that Wuliyan was still Wuliyan."
Lou Shi had already ridden his horse for a few steps, but he couldn't help reining in his horse and turned back, shaking his head: "Yin Shuke is still Yin Shuke... You have no shortage of military merits, qualifications, or status, but why do you always want to go further?"
Yin Shuke, who was a few years older than Lou Shi, smiled and sighed, "I have many sons! If one dies, there are still a lot of them. And there are also brothers, nephews, and old subordinates. They are the same as you. I have to take them into account. It's just that I'm too old. I really don't want to risk my life on the battlefield... This time, I won't go with you. I'll stay in Yanjing and watch you, Wuliyan, make another great contribution."
"The danger in the court is no less than on the battlefield, so take care." Lou Shi was silent for a moment, left only one word, and turned to follow the guide who had been waiting for a long time to find Wanyan Wushu.
