Loyalty and devotion to one's country

  On this side, Han Jiuer was distracted, and on that side, Zhao Gou lost his soul. Seeing her reveal a shy and charming girlish sentiment, he couldn't help but love her more with each glance, having never seen such a young lady who moved his heart like this before.

  As the host, Han Xiao was somewhat embarrassed. One was his spoiled daughter and the other was a noble of the imperial family, neither of whom was easy to deal with.

  Wang Boyan stepped forward to mediate, clearing his throat: "9th King, don't you think 9th Princess should be punished for this wine?"

  "What a penalty?" Zhao Gou was like waking up from a dream, striking his fist and sighing, "To this day I still remember General Fei! This one word is well changed, changed wonderfully. Ninth Sister can be called a master of one word, comparable to Gao Shi. Li Guang was originally known as the Flying General, with just one bow in hand, he made the Xiongnu dare not invade the Great Han for years. When will our Great Song also get a Flying General?"

  "King Jiuda said it well, and I, Jiujiu, firmly believe that our Great Song will soon produce a flying general who will protect our beautiful mountains and rivers, and our people will no longer suffer from the invasion of those northern barbarians." Han Jiu'er also walked out of her brief loss of composure, her bright eyes shining as she sent her best wishes to the person in her heart and this land. She then responded to Wang Boyan, "Thank you for your guidance, Lord Wang. I, Jiujiu, should punish myself with a cup of wine."

  " Ninth sister, I'll accompany you!" Zhao Gou never thought that in his escape route, he could meet such a little girl who was to his liking, with both stunning beauty and a noble heart, simply a rare woman in a million.

  Zhao Gou raised his cup, and the rest of us naturally responded. Han Xiaolü's old face glowed with joy: "Thanks to the Ninth Great King and my little daughter's auspicious words, I won't have to wait long for a flying general to emerge, ensuring our great Song dynasty will last forever, standing tall for a thousand years."

  What was originally a joyful and indulgent dinner party became a passionate and heated gathering with the arrival of Han Jiu'er.

  Zhao Gou drank it all in one gulp, and his heroic spirit was suddenly stirred: "It's this king's turn to take command now. 'I won't return until I've conquered Loulan'!"

  Two eunuchs, Han Bin also forgot that Zhao Gou had just been ridiculed by himself, and he applauded: "What a 'Huangsha Bai Zhan Chuan Jin Jia, Bu Po Loulan Zhong Buxiang Huan'! What a 'Cong Jun Xing'! Ninth King, I hate myself for being only a scholar, otherwise I would definitely follow you to kill the Tartars."

  "Kill the Tartars? Ah." Zhao Gou's sudden burst of heroic passion was immediately doused with a bucket of cold water, thinking of the Jin army's massacre at Mǎo yáng gāng, his scalp felt numb, and he thought to himself that Han Bin was indeed a bookworm, if he really saw the bloody battlefield, wouldn't he be scared out of his wits?

  Zhao Gou suddenly returned to reality, and his family came to the Jin Tang tonight. What did they come for? They came to have fun and seek pleasure. This Han Jiu'er had talent and a broad mind, but after all, she was a woman, and she had to please men like Zhao Gou's family.

  As soon as he thought of this, Zhao Gou gazed at Han Jiuer with a pair of enchanting eyes, her cheeks flushing red from drinking wine. He imagined her wearing women's clothes and was captivated by her charm, his soul melting away. He raised his cup and stood up, walking lightly to Han Jiuer's side, saying intimately: "Jiuer, you are nine, I am also nine, together it is long-lasting, it seems we have a predestined relationship, let me drink with you!"

  Zhao Gou's actions can be described as a sudden and drastic change, from being a king who was concerned about the country's difficulties just a moment ago, to instantly becoming a frivolous and arrogant person, his facial expression changing so quickly that it left everyone in the room staring at him with wide eyes.

  Zhao Bao's straightforward nature would not allow him to conceal his feelings, and when he saw Zhao Gou teasing his own sister in public, he could no longer bear it. He immediately stood up and was about to rush over to protect his sister.

  Han Xiao's heart was burning with anxiety, and he also stood up, not knowing whether to persuade Zhao Gong or stop his second son.

  Wang Boyan was shocked by Zhao Gou's behavior and watched with cold eyes to see how Han Shi Zhong would end the situation.

  "Hehe, King Jiuzhong is indeed eloquent. Little Nine suddenly remembered two phrases he heard in the capital." Han Jiu'er slowly stood up, first using his eyes to stop his second brother's recklessness, and then gesturing to his father to be at ease. Then, with a calm tone, he said, "'Nine nines return to one, ninety-five supreme', King Jiuzhong, perhaps you and I together fulfilled this phrase. If it gets out, it might not be beneficial for King Jiuzhong."

  Zhao Gou's face changed color, and his heart sank with the words. It turned out that his elder brother, Emperor Zhao Huan, had repeatedly ordered him to make peace because of the two sentences of prophecy circulating in the capital, which made him suspicious of Zhao Gou. Now that he was not making enough effort for peace, if there were rumors of him coveting the throne again, would Emperor Zhao Huan spare his life once the Jin army retreated?

  "Haha, good Ninth Sister, you're really thorough! Han Gong, your daughter is a hundred times better than your second son. Wang Xianggong, thanks to your reminder, I got to see the treasure of Hu Jin Tang! This king needs rest, farewell!" Zhao Gou laughed loudly and left, scaring Wang Boyan into following him quickly.

  Han Xiao hurriedly sent the noble guest out of the door, gazing at Zhao Gou's back as he was escorted away by a large group of people. Only then did he have time to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, and in his heart, he had a deep understanding of Kang Wang's unpredictable emotions. He pondered over the last words left behind, unsure whether they were auspicious or ominous, feeling anxious and uneasy.

  Zhao Gou decided to stay in Xiangzhou for the time being, firstly because there were people like Wang Boyan who had both real power and listened to his orders, and secondly because of a woman named Han Jiuer who made his heart move. A secret idea gradually became clear and strong in his mind: "Nine nine returns one, ninety-five is supreme! Perhaps the will of heaven is unpredictable, these two sentences may also apply to this king, at that time, let's see where you, Han Jiuer, can escape?"

  In order to follow the proper procedure, Zhao Gou sent an envoy to report to the imperial court: "The envoy arrived in Cizhou, but the foolish commoners killed Wang Yun. Moreover, it was heard that the barbarian horses were crossing the river to the south. Your ministers returned to Xiangzhou to await your sage decision."

  The end of the heavenly will is unpredictable, and the situation has developed as Zhao Gou expected. By the end of November, the Jurchen army arrived at the foot of Kaifeng City, and the capital of the Song Dynasty was in danger. The court was in a state of panic, and Emperor Zhao Huan hastily sent people to inform the eight directions.

  At this time, the Kaifeng was not the first to face the enemy: on that day, the Jin army had only one part of the eastern route, with a force of only 60,000, but today it was two routes of the Jin army with 120,000 people, completing the siege with the Lianzhu Fort's formation; On that day, Li Gang, the hero who resisted the Jin, had been demoted and left the capital, and the ministers who remained in the court were all mediocre; On that day, the Song army came from all over the country to rescue the king, with more than 200,000 soldiers and horses, but after the most elite Western Army was exhausted in the battle to rescue Taiyuan, the Song Dynasty had only a few usable troops.

  Zhao Gou, who was stranded in Xiangzhou, became the court's last hope. In the middle of the intercalary eleventh month, an urgent envoy arrived at the prefecture of Anyang County, bearing a wax-sealed imperial edict to be shown to Duke Kang. Zhao Gou was appointed as the Grand Marshal of the River North Military, Chen Guang as the Vice-Marshal, and Zong Ze and Wang Boyan as Deputy Marshals, with orders to immediately lead the troops from Hebei to reinforce the capital.

  At almost the same time, the Jin army broke through the outer city wall of Kaifeng, and the Song Dynasty officials were on the verge of despair. The people of Kaifeng, numbering in the tens of thousands, spontaneously rose up to resist, causing the Jin army not to dare enter the city. The Jin army had no choice but to resort to a new plan, proposing peace talks. The weak and incompetent Song Dynasty court believed it to be true, ordering the military and civilians to cease fighting and beg for peace from the Jin, thus opening the curtain on an unprecedented shame for the Han Chinese dynasty.

  After Zhao Gou received the imperial edict from his brother, he and Wang Boyan carefully considered setting up the Grand Marshal's Mansion. The two of them whispered to each other that establishing the mansion had its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage was that it could recruit soldiers and buy horses to boost their prestige and increase their own defensive strength; the disadvantage was that it would attract attention, provoke the Jin people, and they might turn against him.

  After some deliberation, Zhao recalled the two prophecies "99 returns to 1, 95 is supreme" and thought that those who achieve great things cannot be timid. He gritted his teeth and made up his mind.

  On December 1st, Zhao Gou formally established the Grand Marshal's Mansion in Xiangzhou and widely recruited soldiers. The news of the Grand Marshal's Mansion recruiting troops spread like a sudden storm cloud, flying across the four villages and eight towns, neighboring states and counties, reaching the ears of countless patriots, and naturally also reached Yonghe Village, Huaxi Township, Tunyin County - Yue Fei's hometown.

  The sun had just risen, casting a reddish glow on the icy surface of the small river. The morning dew was pierced by the aurora, shining on a farmhouse in the countryside. A large locust tree with withered branches and leaves stood at the entrance, where seven or eight horses were tied to a hitching post, snorting and shaking their manes in the cold wind. Several farmers who had risen early to rush to the market huddled together, passing indifferently in front of the farmhouse's gate, amidst a desolate atmosphere that filled the sky and earth.

  The wooden gate creaked open, and out came a young girl with her hair in a simple knot and a robust boy. The girl wore a plain white dress made of hemp, but despite the simplicity of her attire, she couldn't hide her stunning beauty, reminiscent of a rare orchid blooming in a secluded valley. Although she was from a humble background, she exuded an air of elegance that set her apart. She and the boy were both puffing out hot breaths as they each carried a large bundle of fodder, walking towards the horses under the tree while chatting with each other.

  "Aunt, you said that Uncle and the others are going to join the army, but this time Father is hesitating? They say that our Great Song Dynasty is about to be destroyed by the Tartars, I don't want to be a slave of a fallen country!" The young man's face was full of discontent as he threw the fodder in his arms into the horse trough.

  "Hey, stop talking nonsense! My fifth brother... your father is a great man who stands tall and upright, how can he be a coward? He must have other concerns." The young lady couldn't help but gently tap the young man's forehead, not tolerating her nephew speaking of his father in such a way - her own fifth brother.

  The son is naturally Yue, and the young girl is sixteen-year-old Yue Chu. What they are talking about is the recent hot topic of the Grand Marshal's mansion recruiting soldiers.

  At this time, the main room of the Yue family was filled with a group of men sitting in a circle. On the table were several teacups scattered about, the tea water had turned black and lost its warmth. The lamp wicks on the oil dish had been replaced many times, and the edges were covered with charred remains of old wicks, indicating that everyone had sat up all night.

  Almost ten men, each with red eyes, were emotionally agitated, with Xu Qing's voice being the loudest: "Brother, what are you hesitating about? The Song Dynasty is in danger, we brothers have all come to join you, but you've been silent for a whole night, this doesn't seem like your usual self, say something!"

  "Brother Wang, Brother Hu, Brother Yao Zheng, Brother Wang Wan, Donkey Dung Brothers, Younger Brother Zhang Xian, Younger Brother Xu Qing..." Yue Fei finally spoke up, his brow furrowed in concern, looking troubled as he scanned the room. He let out a sigh and called out to them in order of seniority: Wang Gui, Zhao Hu Zi, Yao Zheng, Wang Wan, Ye Lu Liu Fen, Zhang Xian, and Xu Qing. "I know you all have ambitions to serve the country, but I'm afraid I have some difficulties. Why don't you all go join the army first? As for me and my sixth brother, we'll follow later."

  "Brother Five, I'm going now." Interwoven among a group of Pingding army comrades was the young sixth son of the Yue family, Yue Fan, who had already clenched his fists.

  "Xiao Liu, don't interfere!" Yue Fei sternly scolded with the dignity of an elder brother.

  "General Yue!" Zhao Huzi, who had been following Yue Fei since the battle of Youzhou City, shouted in disappointment. "Since the defeat of the imperial army, I have gone through countless hardships to return to my hometown, only wanting to follow you to serve the court and drive out the Tartars, but instead I waited for your words."

  "Zhou, Zhou Hu Zi, brother, brother is not that kind of person, he is not willing to let his stepmother worry, stepmother's age is advanced, her body is not good, how can you teach brother to be at ease and join the army?" Since arriving in Xiangzhou, Ye Lu Du Fen has been living with the Yue family, indignantly and loudly speaking out for Yue Fei, revealing the truth.

  Yue Fei heard this, his nose turned sour, his eyes dimmed, and two lines of hot tears rolled down, making the crowd look at him in astonishment, it was the first time they saw him cry.

  Yue Fei is a filial person. This time when he returned home, he saw that his mother's body was getting weaker by the day, while he himself had not been home for several years, which really should not be the case.

  At this extremely cold season, water drips into ice, rural areas are idle in winter, men have nothing to do, but mothers have to work hard at home, washing clothes and cooking meals. Her hands, which were worn out by the years and full of cracks, soaked in icy water several times a day. And Liu Ju's wife, due to taking care of her young child, not only couldn't help with household chores, but also added more burden on his mother. Every time he thought about this, Yue Fei's heart felt like it was being cut by a knife. Several times he wanted to help his mother, but she scolded him: "A man should not do women's work!"

  Unfortunately, he encountered the war again, and the national disaster was imminent. Those distressing news came one after another. Yue Fei had a heart to serve the country, but he couldn't put down his mother. Now, his comrades-in-arms made an appointment to join the army together, and he fell into the dilemma of being unable to be loyal and filial at the same time, suffering from unbearable pain!

  "Wǒ Láng, you're wrong!" An elderly woman with a kind face, dragging her unstable footsteps, pushed open the door and entered. It was none other than Yue Fei's mother, Lady Yao, who had been startled by several loud voices.

  "Pay respects to Madame!" The crowd of soldiers, upon seeing Mrs. Yao, all stood up and knelt down on one knee, each considering themselves to be brothers of Yue Fei.

  "Gentlemen, good fortune." Ms. Yao bowed and returned the courtesy, entering the main hall, following the ancient tradition that women should not ascend to the central hall without reason, she sidled away, pointing at the "Loyalty Filial Piety Righteousness" plaque on the wall, sternly ordering Yue Fei, "You beast, kneel down for me!"

  "Mother..." Yue Fei's face still had tears on it, he didn't know why his mother was so angry, he took a few steps forward and knelt down with a "thud" in the middle of the main room, directly facing the "Loyalty Filial Piety Righteousness" plaque.

  Everyone stood up and bowed together, then saw that Madame Yao did not sit down, so no one dared to return to their seat. They saw her treat Yue Fei this way, but none of them understood the meaning behind it. For a moment, there was complete silence.

  "Wǒ Láng!" Yao Shi slowed down her tone, "Mother knows you've admired Guan Zhang since childhood, and can recite 'Lecture on the Three Principles' fluently. Today, in front of your brothers, recite that passage you love the most."

  "Yes, mother!" Yue Fei responded obediently, casting his solemn gaze at the "Loyalty, Filial Piety, Righteousness and Heroism" plaque passed down by his ancestors. His chest felt a surge of heat as he recited in a low voice: "Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, with loyalty and integrity they established their reputation, their names renowned for generations to come. With righteousness and bravery they achieved great deeds, unmatched by anyone. Their will remained unshaken, unwavering through trials and hardships. They valued honor above life, sacrificing themselves for the country. Their words were trustworthy, their actions resolute, their promises sincere, disregarding their own lives, rushing to aid those in distress..."

  Yue Fei's voice grew louder and more resonant, as if he had returned to his childhood, reciting the stories of the Three Kingdoms that he had just heard from a storyteller, proudly recounting them in front of his loving mother.

  Everyone present was from the same humble origins and had grown up in an environment where they were often lectured on the importance of loyalty. Now, as they listened to Yue Fei's impassioned words, their previous hesitation vanished, and they understood the good intentions behind Yao's actions. They all looked at each other with newfound respect. After Yue Fei finished speaking, everyone was deeply moved, their hearts swelling with emotion and their spirits soaring.

  "Dad, I want to be Guan Zhang too!" A clear and bright voice rang out, but it was Yue and his younger sister Yue Chu who had returned without anyone noticing, eavesdropping at the door. The comrades all burst into laughter, dispelling a lot of the gloomy atmosphere.

  "Come in, kids. It's cold outside, you too." Mrs. Yao's eyes flashed with a hint of tenderness as she called her grandson and niece inside, then turned to Yue Fei with a serious expression, "Wulang, as a woman, I don't know how to speak of grand principles, but I do know that without the country, there is no home. Loyalty to the nation is the greatest filial piety. Don't worry about me! Take Liu Lang and these brothers to join the army today. Household matters will be taken care of by me, you just focus on serving the imperial court with all your heart."

  "Mother..." Yue Fei burst into tears, falling to his knees before his mother. Such a display of deep emotion was something that his comrades had never seen before, and they were all moved to wipe away their own tears.

  "You men, why are you crying and laughing like women?" Madam Yao looked around with a loving gaze, as if looking at her own children, then spoke up. "Wu Lang, this time you're joining the army is not ordinary. The Grand Marshal's headquarters has issued an order, it's a critical moment, family members cannot follow the army, Wu's wife and two grandchildren must stay home. As your mother, I want you to put aside thoughts of home, focus on fighting the enemy, and devote yourself to the country! After thinking carefully, I've come up with a plan, you can't refuse."

  "Mother, everything depends on you!" Yue Fei knew that his mother's mind was made up, and he had no choice but to obey her in order to fulfill his filial duty.

  "Which of you gentlemen can write?" Madam Yao asked, turning to the crowd after her son nodded in agreement.

  Everyone looked at each other in dismay, and it turned out that no one could read or write. It was also strange that Yue Fei could clearly write, but his mother-in-law went to find someone else instead.

  "Hey, I can write!" Yue Chu puffed out her chest, flashing a pair of big eyes, and stood up straight, making the men present feel embarrassed.

  "Alright! Liu, go get the brush and ink. Da Sun'er, go ask your mother for the needle to mend shoes." Yao Shi instructed her own Xiaoliu and Dasun'er, but didn't intend for Yue Fei to stand up.

  Everyone was in a flurry, and it was unclear why the Yao family wanted these items. Before long, Yue'er and Yuefan returned with the items, followed by Liu Bi, Yue Fei's wife, who looked uneasy.

  "Sister-in-law is well, sister-in-law is well......" The crowd of comrades all bowed in respect.

  "Uncle, good fortune to you, uncle, good fortune to you..." Liu Wei returned the greeting while searching for her husband among the crowd, who was kneeling in the hall. She felt puzzled but didn't dare to interrupt and retreated to the side of the hall.

  "Wu Lang, take off your upper garment!" Madam Yao ordered without allowing any questioning.

  "Yes!" Yue Fei already knew his mother's deep intention, and respectfully responded with a single word. With determination, he took off the clothes on his upper body, revealing his strong physique. It was the coldest winter, and the temperature inside and outside the house was almost the same. He couldn't help but shiver slightly.

  "Father!" Liu Wei called out in distress, somewhat dissatisfied with his mother-in-law.

  Yue Fei's expression was solemn, his knees stuck to the ground, and he straightened his waist as if he hadn't heard Madame's words.

  "Chu Yaotou, write four characters on your fifth brother's back - 'dedication to the country'!" Madam Yao remained unmoved and gave an order with a resolute tone that was not at all like a rural old woman, but rather like a heroic husband.

  "Stepmother..." The crowd in uniform finally understood Yao's profound meaning and couldn't help but admire, all kneeling down beside Yue Fei.

  "Be loyal to the country!" Yue Chu grasped the brush softened with hot water, passionate and surging, made a bold decision in secret, and wrote four elegant and beautiful clerical script characters on Wu Ge's sturdy back.

  "Wǒ Láng, bèi tuō?" Yao's hand firmly grasped the large needle and stood behind her son.

  "Mother, I'm ready!" Yue Fei took a deep breath, his upper body already frozen red, but he remained motionless.

  "My son, bear with it!" Mother and son were connected at heart. Mrs. Yao muttered to herself, steeled her heart, and made a jab with the needle. Her son's back muscles twitched, and so did her own heart, but her hand remained steady as she continued to stitch...

  The crowd knelt in a circle, feeling the same pain, their hearts trembling, their bodies trembling. One by one, tiger eyes welled up with tears. No one knew who started it first, but they all shouted together: "Loyalty to the country! Loyalty to the country! Loyalty to the country..."

  Loyalty to the country! These four thunderous words, from then on deeply penetrated into Yue Fei's flesh and blood, deeply penetrated into a nation's flesh and blood. At every critical moment of national survival, they became a spiritual great banner inspiring countless future generations to advance wave upon wave.