Chapter 227

Episode 2: Undercurrents of War

In the spring of the ninth year of Jinghan, during the Wu Dynasty, the war that erupted between the Jin and Liao seemed, at first glance, quite surprising and even trivial.

Just the year before, the Jin and Liao had reached a peace agreement. This agreement involved significant concessions from the Liao state. Yelü Yanxi formally bestowed the title of "Great Sage Emperor" upon Wanyan Aguda and recognized the Jin state as the elder brother. Liaodong and Changchun prefectures were ceded – though the Jin had already occupied these territories, so the cession was merely a formality – and an annual tribute of 250,000 taels of silver and silk was to be paid to the Jin. This arrangement essentially reversed the terms of the Treaty of Chanyuan in favor of the Jin.

However, at the time of the Treaty of Chanyuan, the Wu and Liao dynasties were considered relatively equal great powers. Although the Liao was now compelled by circumstances to sign this agreement, the power balance between Jin and Liao was, in reality, disproportionate. Ultimately, there were simply not that many Jurchens; the Jin population was too small. The god-like victory achieved at the Battle of Hubudagang was not due to Wanyan Aguda's immense confidence, but because he only had a force of just over 20,000 men at his disposal. Even after several years of continuous victories, Jin's military strength remained disproportionate to Liao's.

For this reason, Yelü Yanxi signed the agreement, feeling he had made a major concession, and likely concluding that the Jin would not want to or be able to fight further, thus setting his mind at ease. In the eyes of others, the Jin had established a base and should now halt to recover and rebuild, which was a natural assumption. Thus, with the treaty signed, most people believed it. Regardless, such treaties typically remained effective for several years.

Wanyan Aguda was fifty-two years old that year.

Judging by later events, this ambitious figure, who had risen in revolt against the Liao around the age of forty and, in just over a decade, led tens of thousands of Jurchens to a position equal to that of the Liao emperor, clearly had no intention of leaving his potential hegemony for his descendants to complete. However, at the time, the events of that spring appeared, on the surface, somewhat trivial and ridiculous.

Yelü Yanxi initially refused to acknowledge Wanyan Aguda as emperor. He had intended to designate Wanyan Aguda as "King of Donghuai" to gloss over the matter. But Wanyan Aguda was not easily deceived; he flew into a rage, and Yelü Yanxi immediately backed down, reluctantly agreeing to call him the Great Sage Emperor. With the matter settled, Yelü Yanxi felt a huge weight lift from his mind, believing he could finally enjoy a few years of peace – he disliked trouble, enjoyed traveling, loved world peace, and had a rather submissive personality. As he relaxed and returned to his leisure, he suddenly remembered something.

His ancestor, Yelü Abaoji, Emperor Taizu of Liao, whose lifelong achievements rivaled Wanyan Aguda's at that moment, was also called the Great Sage Emperor, with the full title "Emperor Taizu Dasheng Daming Shenlie Tianhuang." This wouldn't do; giving his ancestor's title to Aguda was an act of filial impiety. So, he turned around and, in a rather submissive manner, sent an envoy to Aguda, asking if the imperial title could be revoked and changed.

The less powerful tend to care more about face. Aguda had fought his entire life to become emperor, and now Yelü Yanxi was treating the title so trivially. Wasn't this a blatant insult? In late February of the lunar calendar, the Jin army formally launched its campaign against Liao. On the 26th day of the third lunar month, Wanyan Aguda officially launched a full-scale assault on Linhuang Prefecture, Shangjing, one of Liao's five capitals. On the 5th day of the fourth lunar month, Jin cavalry reached the west bank of the Hun River, laying siege to the city.

At this time, Linhuang Prefecture was defended by the veteran Liao general Xiao Tabuye. Although he had suffered several defeats in battles against the Jin, to be fair, he was not an incompetent general. He was cautious in his tactics, upright in character, and certainly capable. As the political capital of Liao, Linhuang Prefecture had high walls, deep moats, and formidable defenses.

Perhaps realizing the difficulty of assaulting the city, Aguda sent Wanyan Zongxiong to persuade its surrender. However, Xiao Tabuye's favorite grandson, Yidijian, had died at the hands of the Jurchens in the Battle of Ningjiangzhou a few years prior, so the surrender attempt naturally failed.

Relying on the city's strong defenses, Xiao Tabuye did not feel a great sense of urgency. Liao, even weakened, was still like a starved camel bigger than a horse. Even if he couldn't defeat Wanyan Aguda, he was prepared to hold the sturdy city for several months, awaiting reinforcements. Aguda, on his part, was very decisive; after Wanyan Zongxiong's morning attempt at persuasion failed, he launched an attack on Linhuang Prefecture that very morning. Aguda personally oversaw the siege from below the walls. That afternoon, at the first *xinshi* (around 3:15 PM), Wanyan Zhamu, Aguda's half-brother, was the first to breach the walls of Shangjing.

This was another unforeseen outcome of the war. The fortified city, which was expected to hold out for months, fell into Wanyan Aguda's hands in just half a day. As the setting sun painted the sky crimson that day, Aguda and his generals entered the city gates. Jurchen soldiers had already swept through, leaving the entire city in ruins, filled with the smoke of devastation.

"Even if it was 'cheating,' this was a bit too much..."

Ning Yi drained his tea and sighed. He hadn't known much about Wanyan Aguda's life and deeds before. Although founding emperors of every dynasty often achieved feats that seemed superhuman, hearing Old Qin recount them now, he still felt an ineffable shock. People of this era harbored animosity towards Liao and were thus somewhat sympathetic to Jin. When speaking of Wanyan Aguda, they largely regarded him as an unparalleled foreign hero. Ning Yi, too, felt a measure of admiration for his accomplishments. However, Old Qin's tone as he spoke now wasn't necessarily one of pure joy.

"'Chea...ting?'"

"'It means cheating.'"

"Oh, haha, indeed it is." Old Qin nodded and chuckled. Then, a hint of melancholy appeared in his eyes. "Hero or tyrant, no matter what, Wanyan Aguda is certainly a remarkable figure of our time. His military action against Liao was inevitable, no surprise there. Now that he has made his move, he must have already signed a treaty with our Wu Dynasty. All that awaits is our dynasty to march its armies... The Sixteen Prefectures of Yan-Yun..."

He sighed. Ning Yi looked at him, then pondered for a moment before picking up the teapot to pour tea. "It seems it's true, then. Viewing the growing power of Jin, allying with Jin against Liao, using the tiger to devour the wolf – that was your plan, wasn't it, Old Qin?"

"Not exactly a plan," the old man shook his head and sighed. "It was merely some stratagems conceived out of desperation when there was no other path. His Majesty... also had ideas about reclaiming Yan-Yun. Initially, it wasn't just the Jurchens we considered allying with; back then, the Jurchens weren't showing much promise. I was sent to scold them, took the blame, and then retired. In these past few years, the situation has changed, deviating significantly from what I had originally envisioned. But they finally seized the opportunity, and this day has ultimately arrived..."

For several months prior, the old man had remained silent on the topic of the current situation. Only today could he finally speak about it. He had waited eight years for the Jin and Liao to achieve a balance of power and formally go to war. Speaking of it now, there was naturally a sense of relief, but amidst that relief, he didn't seem particularly happy. He was usually humorous and easygoing, but his speech carried an inherent authority and decisiveness. Now, however, seeing his dishevelled white hair, his usual gravitas was gone, replaced by geniality and a touch of weariness. His eight years of forbearance, though seemingly peaceful, involved witnessing major shifts in the broader situation, and he must have borne an unutterable heavy burden in his heart, making it a difficult period.

The courtyard was quiet, leaves swaying gently in the breeze. Ning Yi, sensing the old man's mood, felt a slight pang of emotion. The history unfolding now differed from what he knew, but regardless, as a participant, the old man had indeed given his all and achieved his own results. Ning Yi took a sip of tea, understanding that he didn't need to say anything at this moment. The old man mused for a moment, then chuckled.

"Still, the same question, Liheng, are you willing to go to the capital and make something of yourself?"

Previously, Kang Xian often asked if he wanted to be an official, while Old Qin merely observed from the side. Now, however, it was Old Qin who asked. Ning Yi shook his head, "Heh, your future isn't clear, old man. I'm not going to follow you into uncertainty."

"An excuse..."

Ning Yi's playful remark prompted Old Qin to casually point out, "Actually... a few years ago, seeing the escalating conflict between Jin and Liao, I felt only gratification. But these past few years, the more I've watched them fight, the more uneasy I've become. You should understand why, Liheng."

"Weak nations have no diplomacy?"

The old man paused, then nodded. "Liheng truly understands these matters; you hit the nail on the head: weak nations have no diplomacy... Wanyan Aguda rose with just over 2,000 men, challenging a vast army, fighting battle after battle at Chuhedian, Huanglongfu, Hubudagang... Our court officials, upon hearing of these deeds, proclaimed him an unparalleled hero and declared that Liao's time was up. Yet now, every time we clash with the Liao people on the border, our forces suffer overwhelming defeats. At Hubudagang, 20,000 defeated 700,000; the Jurchens, once they number 10,000, are invincible—it's unbelievable! But if 700,000 Liao soldiers were to attack our Wu Dynasty, who in Wu could withstand them? Li Gang? Tong Guan? Zhong Shidao? And these Jin soldiers... after conquering Liao, whom will they conquer next? Liheng, I can't help but feel that what I envisioned back then wasn't saving the Wu Dynasty, but actually pushing it into a fiery pit..."

"You worry too much," Ning Yi glanced at him. "The Jin don't have enough people; for now, that's a weakness. As long as people are willing to strive and seize the opportunity to breathe, the Wu Dynasty can still be saved."

"What if one day the Jin army marches south, and we don't get that chance to breathe?"

"Then it would be destined for ruin. Old man, how much do you expect one person to achieve?"

"Ultimately, every little bit helps."

"You're too ambitious."

"Heh heh."

Both men chuckled for a moment. A moment later, Ning Yi raised his teacup and said, "Old Qin, let's cut the pleasantries. I understand what you mean. The capital... if the opportunity arises, I will go. If there's anything I can do then, I'll rely on your guidance. For now, I just hope... I won't be too stubborn when the time comes, heh..."

Frankly, Ning Yi held some admiration for what the old man was doing. He had no intention of becoming an official and didn't believe he could reverse the tide if the situation truly deteriorated, as human strength is finite. However, if an opportunity arose in the future to contribute, he wouldn't mind. Thus, there was no need to close off possibilities in their conversation.

They had known each other for two years and had many conversations, gaining an understanding of each other's personalities. However, Qin Siyuan didn't quite grasp Ning Yi's final remark at that moment. Only years later would those who truly knew Ning Yi understand the extent to which he would see things through once he truly committed to doing them well.

It was a concept that almost no one in that entire era dared to contemplate.

Of course, this was still the peaceful and tranquil early summer. The plans made with his wife could not simply be put aside. The two then chatted for a while about the Jin-Liao situation. A few days later, Su Tan'er had made all the arrangements. Ning Yi bid a fond farewell to Yunzhu and Jin'er. The family then boarded a large boat, traveling east along the Yangtze River towards Yangzhou.

In May, news of the Jin-Liao war spread throughout the land, from north to south.

By the end of May, Qin Siyuan was reinstated, directly promoted to Right Vice-Director of the Department of State Affairs and concurrently Grand Councilor, with countless other rewards. The reason for his reinstatement was not publicly announced, but it implicitly confirmed the truth of the rumors from earlier in the year, and his prestige in court became unparalleled.

The wheels of fate turned, and the history of the three states—Jin, Liao, and Wu—entered a new chapter.

Meanwhile, on the grasslands in the northwest of Liao, a tribe named Qiyan had raised the banner of revolt against Liao. They campaigned throughout the grasslands, expanding their power rapidly like a swarm of locusts. They were like a vortex hidden in a corner no one had foreseen, gathering strength, eventually swelling into a massive storm that would tear through everyone's perception.