I'll steal Gao Qiu's life and lead the Song Dynasty to prosperity.

Chapter 56 First Clash

After traveling for several more days, the terrain became increasingly high and steep, the air thin and cold, and in the distance, one could see the continuous, snow-capped mountains on the horizon.

Looking around, all I could see was a desolate, yellow landscape.

Occasionally, a few Tibetan felt tents would be scattered among them, but whenever a large contingent of Song army flags passed by, the tent doors would be tightly shut, and the place would be devoid of life.

At noon that day, after crossing a mountain ridge, a bright and open view suddenly appeared before us.

In a relatively open river valley basin, a city built against the mountain stands out prominently.

The city walls are mostly built with local gray-brown stone slabs and rammed earth. They are not very tall, but they are layered and stacked according to the mountain's terrain, making them appear extremely steep.

Banners fluttered atop the wall, mostly those of the Song army.

This was the destination of Zhao Mingcheng and his companions, the former capital of the Qusiluo regime, known as "Zongge" in Tibetan.

After Wang Shan conquered the city, the Song court issued an edict renaming it Shanzhou City.

A procession of people was already lined up at the city gate to welcome them.

There were about two hundred men, all fully armored and armed, standing at attention, their military bearing relatively neat.

The leading general was a burly man with broad shoulders and a thick waist. He wore a finely crafted mountain-patterned armor and a scarlet battle robe, and stood with his hand on his sword.

This man was none other than Wang Shan, the newly appointed Prefect of Shanzhou, acting governor of Gouhuangzhou, and military commander of Xihe Lanhui Road, who was the first to make contributions in this expansion of the border.

Zhao Mingcheng and his party stopped a hundred paces outside the city gate.

With a wave of his hand, Liu Zhongwu sent a hundred elite cavalrymen to the left and right, spreading out like geese wings to make way for Zhao Mingcheng.

Zhao Mingcheng got off the carriage.

Today he specially changed into the scarlet official uniform that symbolized his status. Although it was slightly wrinkled from the long journey, it was starched and made crisp.

He wore a striking black fox fur cloak over his head, its thick, dense, and glossy fur a precious gift from Emperor Huizong of Tang to keep warm before he left the capital.

In this desolate and bitterly cold borderland, his scarlet fox fur coat, which complemented Zhao Mingcheng's young and serene face, added a touch of majesty.

Seeing Zhao Mingcheng approach, Wang Shan also stepped forward to greet him, stopping about ten paces away.

His gaze was sharp as lightning; he was first momentarily stunned by the dazzling crimson color and precious fox fur coat, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He then glanced at Zhao Mingcheng's slightly frail but upright figure, then at Liu Zhongwu behind him with a calm expression, and finally paused on Xia Zheng, who was bowing his head and shrugging his shoulders. He gave a barely perceptible twitch at the corner of his mouth before clasping his hands in a fist salute, his voice loud and clear.

"This humble general, Wang Shan, respectfully welcomes Envoy Zhao, the Pacification Commissioner. Your journey here has been arduous."

"General Wang, you are very courteous. You have fought bravely and made great contributions to the country's expansion. You have worked hard." Zhao Mingcheng returned the greeting with a cupped hand, his tone calm and neither humble nor arrogant.

He was also sizing up Wang Shan.

This man was indeed imposing, with an arrogant gaze, and was truly a formidable general. However, the lingering pride and subtle impatience between his brows were also immediately apparent.

"It's my duty, I dare not claim credit," Wang Shan replied calmly, stepping aside to let him pass.

"Lord Zhao, General Liu, please enter the city. And the Duke of Guiyi," he said, glancing at his defeated subordinate, Xia Zheng, his tone filled with undisguised contempt, "you may come along too."

"Thank you for your trouble, General." Zhao Mingcheng nodded and walked towards the city gate first.

The interior of Shanzhou city was even more dilapidated than the exterior.

The streets were narrow, lined with low, earthen and stone houses, many of which had collapsed and been damaged, clearly indicating that they had been the site of fierce street fighting.

The streets were sparsely populated, and most of the pedestrians were Tibetans or Qiang people with frightened expressions and hurried steps. Occasionally, small patrol teams of Song soldiers would pass by.

In the corners of the streets and alleys, one could often see refugees huddled together or corpses lying on the ground; some were foreigners, and others were Song soldiers.

The bodies, whether killed in battle or starved to death, have not yet been completely cleared away, creating a desolate scene.

Wang Shan was used to this hellish scene. He strode ahead and led the way, occasionally pointing with his whip and speaking with a boastful tone.

"My lord, please look. This is the place where the chieftain's personal guards put up their last stand. I led my men and burned it to the ground. Over there is the false royal palace, which is now temporarily serving as the central headquarters..."

Zhao Mingcheng listened silently, his gaze sweeping over the broken walls and the corpses of the barbarians on the ground. He roughly understood how difficult it would be to implement this policy.

Wang Shan did not directly lead Zhao Mingcheng and others to the headquarters.

Instead, they turned a few streets and arrived at a relatively open training ground in the west of the city.

At one end of the drill ground stood a simple command platform, around which hundreds of Song soldiers had gathered, whispering amongst themselves with various expressions.

A Song soldier, dressed only in a single layer of clothing and covered in wounds, was tied to a wooden stake below the platform.

The young man looked to be no more than twenty years old, his face was covered in blood, his eyes were unfocused, and his mouth was stuffed with a rag.

Wang Shan led several unfamiliar officials to the scene.

The commotion subsided slightly, and all the soldiers turned their gazes toward it with curiosity.

Many people's gazes lingered for a moment on the scarlet official robe and gorgeous fox fur that seemed out of place in the dilapidated surroundings.

Wang Shan strode up to the platform, and Zhao Mingcheng, Liu Zhongwu, Xia Zheng, and others were also "invited" up.

Wang Shan surveyed the entire audience, his voice booming like a bell.

"Fellow soldiers!"

The audience fell silent.

"Recently, some scoundrels have disregarded military law, secretly colluded with foreigners, and violated our prohibitions!"

Wang Shanji pointed at the bound soldiers below the platform and said sternly.

"Liu Yuanbao of Battalion B, while on patrol, dared to accept food from a barbarian woman and talk with her for a long time! How is this any different from colluding with the enemy? If he is not severely punished, how can we uphold military discipline and set a good example?"

Hearing this, Zhao Mingcheng's heart sank slightly.

Liu Zhongwu frowned slightly, and Xia Zheng subconsciously shrank his neck.

The bound soldier struggled, his eyes filled with fear and pleading, as he looked at Zhao Mingcheng and the others on the stage.

Wang Shan suddenly turned around and questioned another officer in the audience.

"Commander Li, according to our military law, what is the punishment for secretly communicating with barbarians?"

Li, the head constable, shouted loudly.

"According to the law, this officer should be beheaded, and his head displayed to the public!"

"Very well!" Wang Shan shouted sternly, "Today, Imperial Envoy Zhao Fuyu is here to bear witness! Let some people see what the rules are on the front lines! Execute him!"

Two burly, shirtless executioners, carrying executioner's knives, strode heavily onto the stage.

"I'm innocent... Commander, spare my life... I was just starving, and that barbarian woman gave me a piece of tsampa... I didn't say anything... Spare my life!"

The soldier was finally able to speak, crying out in a hoarse, mournful voice.

Wang Shan remained unmoved by this.

Zhao Mingcheng's heart clenched suddenly, and a chill instinctively ran up his tailbone.

Having lived two lives, he had read about "beheading" and "public execution" in books, and had also seen realistic beheading effects in many movies and TV dramas.

But witnessing a young life being brutally executed so closely and vividly, feeling the desperate cries of the dying, and seeing the heavy butcher's knife gleaming coldly in the sunlight in the executioner's hand, the raw impact of facing death is far beyond imagination.

Having lived two lives, this was the first time Zhao Mingcheng had witnessed a beheading.

He instinctively wanted to look away, and even wanted to speak up to stop them.

But he knew he couldn't do that.

To speak out and stop him now would be to openly challenge Wang Shan's authority and deny his military punishment in front of hundreds of proud and fierce soldiers.

This would not only immediately place him in opposition to Wang Shan and his subordinates, but would also cause the mission of "pacification" to completely collapse from the very beginning.

Wang Shan chose this time, this place, and this way to "welcome" him, intending to give him a warning and see if this "scholar sent by the court to cause trouble" would turn pale with fright or be so tactless as to "show mercy."

If you turn pale with fright, it means you're timid and lack courage.

To show your compassion by obstructing the enforcement of military law demonstrates your foolishness and disregard for the current situation.

No matter which reaction he chooses, he will ultimately fall into Wang Shan's trap.

Therefore, Zhao Mingcheng's only option was to remain calm, even if it meant faking it.

He forced himself to fix his gaze on a point in the void in front of the platform, his jaw slightly tensed, and his hands quietly clenched into fists in his sleeves, his nails digging into his palms, using pain to dispel the discomfort.

His face was expressionless, calm to the point of indifference, and no one thought he was nervous.

Liu Zhongwu was standing half a step behind Zhao Mingcheng. He noticed Zhao Mingcheng's momentary stiffness, and then his rapid return to calm.

He knew that this was Zhao Fuyu's first time witnessing an execution, yet he remained calm and composed, which surprised and impressed him.

Wang Shan glanced at Zhao Mingcheng out of the corner of his eye.

He had expected to see fear, reluctance, and even words of protest—that was exactly what he hoped for.

Then he could take the opportunity to teach this arrogant and ignorant imperial envoy a lesson, making him understand that on the frontier, only swords and military law matter.

However, Zhao Mingcheng's almost cold calmness surprised him, and even... made him feel a little unhappy.

This scholar does have some backbone.

"cut!"

Wang Shan waited no longer and suddenly waved his hand.

The executioner raised his knife and brought it down.

The muffled "thud" was not the crisp sound seen in movies and TV shows.

Perhaps the blade wasn't sharp enough, or perhaps it was the soldier's unconscious struggle before he died, but the blade got stuck between his neck bones.

Blood gushed out from the severed blood vessel like a fountain that had been suppressed for a long time, drawing a dazzling arc in the air.

A few drops of blood even splattered onto the edge of the platform, almost staining the hem of Zhao Mingcheng's robe.

The head did not fall off immediately, but drooped down at an odd angle, its eyes wide open.

The pungent, nauseating stench of blood instantly filled the air.

Looking at the head that was about to be severed, Zhao Mingcheng felt a churning in his stomach. He pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, trying to stop himself from gagging.

His gaze remained fixed on the void, ignoring the bloodstains that had splattered at his feet.

Those around him admired Zhao Mingcheng's composure even more.

But only he knew that the lining of his fur coat was slightly damp with cold sweat.

A moment later, another executioner stepped forward and delivered the final blow, causing the head to roll off. The headless corpse twitched a few times.

Wang Shan was used to this kind of scene, and was even somewhat dissatisfied with the executioner's less-than-clever execution. He frowned and cursed.

"Damn it, you can't even behead someone properly, what bad luck! You two, go and get ten strokes of the military rod later."

He turned to look at Zhao Mingcheng, his tone returning to its previous calmness.

"I apologize for the commotion earlier, Lord Zhao. In this border region, military law is as strict as a mountain, and we had no choice but to act this way. The slight bloodshed may have offended your eyes and soiled your fine fur coat."

Zhao Mingcheng slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, forcing himself to look away from the pool of blood on the ground and meet Wang Shan's gaze, without any panic or fear.

"General Wang's strict discipline in governing the army is admirable. The army has its own laws, which we should abide by."

Then, Zhao Mingcheng changed the subject.

"I have been ordered to pacify and assist in border affairs."

The Emperor has decreed that the primary task is to pacify the people and secure the foundation of the state. Qinghai is newly annexed, and much needs to be rebuilt. With Han and non-Han peoples living together, caution is especially necessary. Military affairs will be handled by the General. My purpose on this trip is to consult with the people, assist in the transportation of grain and fodder, and the management of military farms and the pacification of non-Han peoples, in order to stabilize the rear and ensure the General has no worries about the east.

These words, at least superficially, acknowledged Wang Shan's military power, while clearly defining his own sphere of authority—civil administration, logistics, and foreign affairs.

They maintained a proper posture and adhered strictly to their principles, leaving no room for criticism.

Wang Shan's eyes flickered as he stared at Zhao Mingcheng for a few moments, seemingly weighing the weight of his words.

He certainly didn't believe that the scholar had really come to "assist" him.

In his letter, Prime Minister Zhang wrote that this person advocated appeasement and stabilization of the border, which was incompatible with his own policy of killing.

But the other party spoke eloquently and was bearing the title of imperial envoy, so he couldn't directly refute Zhao Mingcheng in front of everyone.

"Oh? To pacify the people? To consolidate the foundation?"

A cold smile curled at the corner of Wang Shan's mouth.

"Lord Zhao, I am not boasting, but the barbarians have always been afraid of power and not grateful. It is better to talk to them with knives than to reason with them."

Only force can subdue them! Appeasement? I fear it would only be like raising a tiger to cause trouble.

As for the transportation of grain and fodder, and the establishment of military farms and pacification of local tribes,

He snorted and glanced at Zhao Mingcheng.

"Those are matters for the officials in the rear; I am only responsible for fighting. If the court can guarantee provisions and pay, that would be the greatest consideration for the soldiers on the front lines."

These words were almost a public rebuttal to the core of Zhao Mingcheng's "stabilizing the border" strategy, and were highly provocative.

Zhao Mingcheng was not angry after hearing this, but simply said calmly.

"What the general has said concerns the method of expanding the borders. Now that Qinghai has fallen, we should consider a long-term strategy for stability. Fearing power may bring temporary results; stabilizing the borders is the only long-term solution. As for provisions..."

As he spoke, Zhao Mingcheng's gaze swept over the pale-faced soldiers below the stage.

"Since I have been ordered to assist in this matter, I will certainly do my utmost. May I ask, General, how many days' worth of provisions and fodder remain in the army? How much of the military equipment and armor in the arsenal has been worn out? Are the city's fortifications in need of repair? Now that I am here, I must have a clear understanding of these matters. May I ask if the General would allow me to review the relevant accounts and documents, and to inspect the city's defenses?"

Zhao Mingcheng stopped arguing with Wang Shan about ideas and instead got straight to the point.

He wants to check the accounts and conduct inspections.

This was his duty, the most direct way to get to the bottom of the situation on the front lines, and a silent response to Wang Shan's earlier "baptism of fire":

You just tried to intimidate me by threatening me with execution, and now I'm going to use my authority to investigate your assets.

Wang Shan's expression darkened slightly.

This scholar was indeed up to no good.

He instinctively wanted to refuse, but the other party's reasons were valid, and he couldn't refuse decisively for the time being.

After a moment of silence, Wang Shan said stiffly.

"Since Lord Zhao wishes to know, I will certainly cooperate. However, I am busy with military affairs and do not have time to accompany you personally. Tomorrow, I will have Chen Yan, the chief clerk of the army, accompany you to inspect the matter."

He pointed to a middle-aged man dressed in a scholar's robe in the audience.

Chen Yan quickly stepped forward and bowed.

"Your humble servant Chen Yan greets Your Excellency, the Pacification Commissioner."

Zhao Mingcheng glanced at Chen Yan, whose eyes were darting around, clearly indicating that he was Wang Shan's confidant.

He was sent to "accompany" them, ostensibly to assist, but in reality to monitor them.

Zhao Mingcheng nodded to Chen Yan without showing any emotion.

"In that case, thank you for your help, Secretary Chen."

"Alright, Lord Zhao, you've come a long way and must be tired. Please rest first. Your lodgings have been arranged. I have official duties to attend to, so please excuse me."

Wang Shan seemed unwilling to say more. He hastily bowed, turned around, and strode down from the platform. He then left with his personal guards, leaving the still-bleeding corpse and the silent soldiers below the platform to Zhao Mingcheng and the others.

The stench of blood lingered on the training ground.

Zhao Mingcheng watched Wang Shan's departing figure, then looked at the glaring pool of blood on the ground, and finally turned his gaze to the dilapidated city walls and the gray sky in the distance.

The journey to Qingtang began in such a cruel way.