The ninth spring of Jinghan's reign in the Wu Dynasty saw the outbreak of war between the Jin and Liao, which at first glance seemed quite surprising and almost comical.

The Jin and Liao had just negotiated peace before the new year. In this negotiation, the Liao made significant concessions. Yelu Yanxi officially crowned Wanyan Aguda as the Dasheng Emperor, addressed the Jin as elder brother, and ceded Liaodong and Changchun—though the Jin had already occupied these territories, so the cession was merely symbolic—and paid the Jin an annual tribute of 250,000 taels of silver and silk. It was almost as if the Treaty of Chanyuan had been reversed and signed with the Jin.

However, the Treaty of Chanyuan was between the Wu and Liao dynasties when they were relatively equal powers. At this time, although forced by circumstances to concede, the strength of the Jin and Liao was disproportionate. Ultimately, the Jurchens were few in number; the Jin were too small. The almost miraculous victory at Hubudagang wasn't because Wanyan Aguda had immense confidence, but because he only had just over 20,000 men. Despite subsequent years of victories, the Jin's military strength was still disproportionate to the Liao.

Because of this, Yelu Yanxi signed the treaty, feeling he had conceded a great deal, and assumed the Jin would no longer want or be able to fight, so he relaxed. Others believed that the Jin had established a foundation and should now rest and recuperate—a common expectation. Thus, the treaty was signed, and everyone largely believed it would hold, usually for several years.

This year, Wanyan Aguda was fifty-two years old.

Looking at later events, this heroic figure, who had risen in his forties to resist the Liao and led tens of thousands of Jurchens to stand on equal footing with the Liao emperor in just over a decade, clearly didn't want to leave the empire he could complete to his descendants. However, at the time, the events of that spring seemed somewhat comical and absurd.

Yelu Yanxi initially didn't want to acknowledge Wanyan Aguda as an emperor. He wanted to call him the King of Donghuai to get by, but Wanyan Aguda was not easily fooled. He threw a tantrum, and Yelu Yanxi backed down, having to call him the Dasheng Emperor. With this settled, Yelu Yanxi felt relieved, thinking he could finally have a few years of peace—he disliked trouble, enjoyed traveling, and loved world peace, his character quite passive. But as he relaxed and went traveling, he suddenly remembered something.

His ancestor, the Liao Taizu Yelu Abaoji, whose achievements could be compared to Wanyan Aguda’s, was also called the Dasheng Emperor, in full, "Taizu Dasheng Daming Shenlie Heavenly Emperor." This wouldn't do; giving his ancestor's title to someone else was unfilial. So, he sheepishly sent an envoy to ask Aguda if he could take back the title and change it.

Poor people care more about face. Aguda had struggled his whole life to become emperor, and now you were making a mockery of the title. This was a slap in the face. In late February of the lunar calendar, the Jin swore an oath to attack the Liao. On March 26th, Wanyan Aguda officially launched a full-scale assault on the Liao's Shangjing Linhuang Prefecture, one of its five capitals. On April 5th, the Jin cavalry reached the west bank of the Hun River, right outside the city.

At this time, the Liao general Xiao Tabuye was defending Linhuang Prefecture. Although he had lost several battles against the Jin, he was not incompetent. He was a steady commander with a righteous character and some talent. Linhuang Prefecture, as the Liao's political capital, had high walls, deep moats, and strong defenses.

Perhaps also considering the difficulty of attacking the city, Aguda sent Wanyan Zongxiong to persuade Xiao Tabuye to surrender. However, Xiao Tabuye's favorite grandson, Yidi Jian, had died at the hands of the Jurchens in the Battle of Ningjiang a few years earlier, so the surrender was naturally rejected.

Relying on the strength of the city, Xiao Tabuye didn't feel particularly urgent. The Liao was still a shadow of its former self, but larger than the Wu. Even if he couldn't defeat Wanyan Aguda, he was prepared to defend the city for months, waiting for reinforcements. Aguda was equally decisive. After sending Wanyan Zongxiong to persuade surrender in the morning, he launched an attack on Linhuang Prefecture that very morning, with Aguda personally commanding the siege. That afternoon, at the hour of Xin, Wanyan Aguda's half-brother Wanyan Zhama took the lead in storming the walls of Shangjing.

This was another unexpected result of the war. The seemingly impregnable city, thought capable of holding out for months, fell to Wanyan Aguda in just half a day. As the setting sun dyed the sky with twilight, Aguda and his generals entered the city gates. Jurchen soldiers poured in, turning the entire city into a sea of smoke.

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"Even if it's a cheat, this is a bit much..."

Ning Yi finished his tea and sighed. He hadn't known much about Wanyan Aguda's life before. Although the founding emperors of each dynasty often had accomplishments that seemed superhuman, hearing Qin Lao talk about it now was still shocking. People of this era hated the Liao and were therefore somewhat friendly to the Jin. They generally regarded Wanyan Aguda as an unparalleled hero of a foreign tribe, and Ning Yi admired him to some extent. However, Qin Lao's words didn't seem entirely joyous.

"Cheat?"

"It means to use unfair means."

"Oh, ha, indeed." Qin Lao nodded and smiled, then looked wistful. "Hero or villain, Wanyan Aguda is truly an outstanding figure. His use of troops against the Liao was inevitable, as expected. Now that he's moved, he must have signed a treaty with our Wu Dynasty. We only need to deploy our troops, and the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun..."

He sighed. Ning Yi looked at him, then thought for a moment and picked up the teapot to pour more tea: "It seems it's true. Back then, seeing the Jin grow stronger and allying with the Jin to resist the Liao, using a tiger to devour a wolf, was your plan, Qin Lao?"

"Not exactly a plan." The old man shook his head and sighed. "I was simply forced into a corner and thought of some tricks. His Majesty… also had ideas about reclaiming Yanyun. Back then, we wanted to ally with more than just the Jurchens. The Jurchens couldn't see a way out. I scolded them and took the blame, then retired. Over the years, the situation has changed, differing from my original design. But they finally managed to seize the opportunity. This day has finally arrived..."

For several months, the old man had been silent, not discussing the current situation. Only today could he finally speak of it. He had waited eight years for the Jin and Liao to be evenly matched and officially go to war. Speaking of it now, there was a sense of relief, but also a lack of joy. He was usually humorous and easygoing, but his words carried a sense of authority and courage. At this moment, seeing his scattered white hair, the authority was gone, leaving only his easygoing nature and a hint of fatigue. His eight years of forbearance, seemingly peaceful, were actually filled with unspoken pressure as he watched the overall situation change.

The courtyard was quiet, the leaves swaying in the breeze. Ning Yi sensed the old man's mood and felt a slight sense of emotion. Although the history of this time was different from what he knew, the old man had indeed done his best as a participant and achieved his own results. Ning Yi picked up his teacup and took a sip, understanding that there was no need for him to say anything. The old man thought for a while and smiled.

"I'll ask again, Li Heng, are you willing to go to the capital and make something of yourself?"

In the past, Kang Xian often asked if he was willing to become an official, but Qin Lao simply watched from the side. Now, he was the one asking. Ning Yi shook his head: "Ha, your old man's future is uncertain. I won't mix with you."

"An excuse..."

Ning Yi joked, and Qin Lao pointed it out casually: "Actually... in the past few years, watching the Jin and Liao conflict become increasingly intense, I only felt gratified. But in recent years, the more I see them fighting, the more uneasy I feel. You should know the reason, Li Heng."

"The weak have no diplomacy?"

The old man was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "Li Heng truly understands these things, hitting the nail on the head. The weak have no diplomacy… Wanyan Aguda started with two thousand men to resist the Jin's million-strong army, from Chudian, Huanglong Prefecture, Hubudagang… one battle after another. People in my court listened and said that this man was indeed an unparalleled hero, that the Liao's fate was sealed. But now, every time we have friction with the Liao on the border, we suffer a crushing defeat. Hubudagang saw two thousand defeat seven hundred thousand; the Jurchens are invincible with ten thousand men. It's unbelievable. But if seven hundred thousand Liao soldiers attacked our Wu Dynasty, who in our Wu Dynasty could resist? Li Gang, Tong Guan, Zhong Shidao? After conquering the Liao, who will the Jin soldiers conquer? Li Heng, I always feel that what I thought was saving the Wu Dynasty is actually pushing it into a fire pit..."

"You worry too much." Ning Yi glanced at him. "The Jin are lacking in manpower. For now, this is their weakness. As long as people are willing to work hard and seize the opportunity to breathe, the Wu Dynasty can still be saved."

"What if the Jin soldiers go south one day and there's no chance to breathe? What then?"

"Then it's time for the country to perish. Old man, how much do you think you can do alone?"

"One thing at a time."

"You're too arrogant."

"Heh."

They both laughed for a moment. After a while, Ning Yi raised his teacup and said: "Qin Lao, let's not talk nonsense. I understand what you mean. The capital... if I have the opportunity, I'll go. If there's anything I can do then, please take care of me. Now, I only hope... I won't be too fixated then, ha..."

In all fairness, Ning Yi had some admiration for what the old man had done. He had no plans to become an official and didn't think he could turn the tide if the situation really took a turn for the worse. After all, human power has its limits. But if there was a chance to contribute in the future, it would be fine, so there was no need to block his path with words.

The two had known each other for two years, chatted many times, and understood each other's personalities. Qin Siyuan didn't quite understand that last sentence. Only years later would people who truly knew Ning Yi realize the extent to which he would go once he really intended to do something well.

That was... a concept that almost no one in the entire era dared to imagine.

Of course, it was still a peaceful early summer. He couldn't abandon the plans he had made with his wife. The two then discussed the Jin-Liao situation for a while. A few days later, Su Tan'er had arranged everything. Ning Yi bid farewell to Yun Zhu and Jin'er, and the family took a large boat east along the Yangtze River towards Yangzhou.

In May, news of the Jin-Liao war spread throughout the north and south of the Yangtze River.

At the end of May, Qin Siyuan was reinstated, directly promoted to Minister of the Right and concurrently with the title of Co-Minister of the Central Secretariat, as well as numerous other rewards. The reason for his reinstatement was not explicitly stated, but it implicitly affirmed the truth of those rumors from the previous year. His reputation in the court was unparalleled.

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

At the same time, on the grasslands northwest of the Liao, a tribe called Qiyan had raised the banner of rebellion against the Liao and was rapidly expanding its power across the grasslands like locusts. They were like a vortex hidden in a corner that no one had anticipated, waiting to accumulate power and eventually swell into a massive storm that would tear through everyone's gaze...

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(Revised, deleted thousands of words of dialogue, well, some things can be explained later, fast forward when you need to... (To be continued.) Vote for recommendations, monthly tickets, your support is my biggest motivation.)