Chapter 57: Di Lie's Weakness

  Shi also Ma heard this and immediately jumped up: "Is it Medicine Brother? Has the investigation yielded a result?"

  The curtain was lifted, and a white-faced, long-bearded middle-aged man with a stern expression and a hint of elegance strode in, bowing to the three kings and the shamanic sorcerer: "Wanyan Yao Shi pays his respects to the three kings and the divine teacher."

  This man is Guo Yisheng.

  Whenever the demise of the Northern Song is mentioned, this person is someone who cannot be avoided. His life experience was extremely complicated, to put it simply, he was originally the commander-in-chief of the Liao State's Yanjing cavalry and infantry, but later saw that the Liao State was on the verge of collapse, while the Song State was actively recruiting him, so he defected from the Liao to the Song and presented the two states of Gao and Yi to the Great Song. He also served as the vanguard of the Song army's northern expedition against the Liao State, leading the charge into the Liao State's capital city of Shangjing. However, afterwards he was set up by the Song army and became a lone force, barely escaping. Perhaps because this incident had a great impact on him, it buried his resentment.

  After the fall of Liao, a certain Guo presented Yanjing to Song and received great praise from Emperor Huizong of Song, who summoned him to Bianjing and rewarded him heavily. This also allowed him to gain insight into the strengths and weaknesses of Song.

  In the third year of Jin Tianhui, November, the Jin State officially launched a southern expedition. Yanjing was the first to bear the brunt, and Guo Yao Shi led his invincible army to engage in a fierce battle with the vanguard of the Jin army. After suffering heavy losses and realizing that he could not resist, coupled with the fact that the Song army, which had been fighting together, had set up an ambush behind him, he decided to surrender without hesitation. He ordered Cai Jing, the governor of Yanjing Prefecture, to open the city gates and surrender.

  Afterwards, Guo became the vanguard of the attack on Song, leading the Jin army's eastern route to march south, attacking cities and strongholds, all the way to Bianjing.

  The first southern expedition of the Golden Army achieved a great victory, and this man made great contributions. He was also granted a surname by Emperor Taizong of Jin and changed his name to Wanyan Yao Shi. However, perhaps because he had served the Liao dynasty before betraying it; later surrendered to the Song dynasty but then betrayed them again, and afterwards surrendered to the Jin dynasty, making him a typical three-surname house slave. For such a turncoat, any power using him must be extremely cautious. Therefore, the high-level officials of the Jin dynasty also did not trust him very much, only giving him the position of defender of Yanjing, without allowing him to participate in the second southern expedition's war to destroy the Song dynasty. He was only ordered to lead his 8,000-strong army to attack and eliminate the so-called "righteous armies" within the borders of various states and counties under the jurisdiction of Yanjing Prefecture, and to send elite troops to escort the Jin army's returning forces from all directions.

  So Wanyan Yao Shi would appear in this Jin army camp. And it was precisely because of his appearance that Di Lie's weakness was discovered.

  That is Empress Zhu!

  Last night's banquet, Wanyan Yeshi happened to arrive with his troops and attend. The performance of Zhu Huanghou during the banquet raised his suspicions.

  Originally, dozens of imperial princesses, county ladies, concubines and palace maids were invited to come, but in the end only more than a dozen people came, and none of the emperor's daughters appeared. And Empress Zhu's reason was so strange and far-fetched. Just as Shi Ye Ma sent someone to urge again, an attack and escape incident occurred, and all this would be such a "coincidence"?

  Like Wanyan Yao Shi, the old fox who became a spirit, it's easy to spot the inconsistencies with some thought. So Wanyan Yao Shi went to ask for orders from She Ma and then went to probe Zhu Huang Hou. Now he has obtained the results and come back to report.

  Wanyan Yao Shi stepped into the tent and, with a confident air, bowed to the three commanders: "Three gentlemen are well. Yao Shi is honored to report that he has discovered the true identity of this 'Evil Spirit'."

  "Speak quickly!" The three kings almost spoke in unison.

  Wanyan Yao's expression was calm and composed, stroking his majestic beard as he spoke: "This so-called 'evil spirit' is not actually a Song person, but rather a descendant of the Han people who migrated overseas during the Liu dynasty to avoid the chaos of the Three Kingdoms. This man claims to be the prince of an island nation, with unusual attire and a band of over ten thieves. They broke through our army's defenses from the south, hiding in the mountains southeast of Tangshui on the outskirts of our camp yesterday evening. Due to Mengan Guolu mistakenly entering their midst, he was ambushed and killed, and afterwards encountered Zhu Huanghou. Under her pleading, this man brazenly impersonated Guolu, sneaking into the camp under the cover of night using a diversionary tactic, abducting many former Song dynasty princesses and palace maids..."

  "Wait, wait..." Seri couldn't help but interrupt, "How can Lord Rusuka be so sure that this big Han descendant... or whatever sea country prince guy is the one we're talking about as 'Kyourei'?"

  Xie Yama and Xie Baoyan also had the same question mark in their eyes.

  Wanyan Yao Shi nodded and said, "The question of the three gentlemen was initially also a question of Empress Zhu. However, this person revealed details of the previous few attacks on our army, which were also acknowledged by Guo Lun at the time. Therefore, it is not I, nor Empress Zhu, but the late Lord Guo Lun who confirmed this person's identity..."

  Wanyan Yeshi then recounted in detail how the first and third routes of the Jin army were defeated.

  As soon as Wanyan Yao Shi finished speaking, the three kings, including the shaman king, immediately believed him. The reason was simple: Wanyan Yao Shi had just arrived from Yanjing after a long journey of thousands of miles and had encountered these three armies first. Before that, he absolutely had no chance to hear about this matter, let alone speak about it so clearly, even some content that they had never heard before, which was something that only the person involved could say.

  It's now certain that the so-called "evil spirit" is actually a descendant of an ancient and mysterious tribe. Perhaps, this person learned some special skills on that isolated island overseas, which allowed him to kill people without being seen. However, no matter how powerful this person is, as long as he is human and not a ghost or monster, there's nothing to worry about. In the face of the mighty Golden Army, which has conquered all under heaven, even if he were a reincarnation of a great king, his fate would be nothing but being trampled into dust.

  So the three kings of Jin Guo felt relieved, and Shi Ye Ma even laughed and asked Wanyan Yao Shi: "Brother Yao Shi, what kind of method did you use to make that stubborn empress reveal the truth?"

  Xiali and Xie Bao couldn't help but smile dazedly.

  Wanyan Yao Shi said calmly, "Although this former Song Dynasty empress's temper is indeed not very good, however, there are some things she still cares about - for example, Qing Fu Emperor's daughter or Chun Fu Emperor's daughter..."

  Sai Li and Xie Bao couldn't laugh anymore.

  The two princesses, Jin Gu (age 7) and Jin Ling (age 4), were left behind because they lived in separate tents with their wet nurses.

  The three kings were speechless for a moment, unable to believe that this guy was so ruthless and would resort to such threatening tactics. However... they liked it. The three of them looked at each other and burst out laughing - finally unraveling the mystery that had been puzzling Jin Jun for many days. Although they had lost dozens of women and suffered casualties among their elite troops, it was worth it.

  But the great shaman couldn't laugh, his powdered face as gloomy as before.

  Wanyan Yao Shi carefully observed this and sincerely bowed: "Divine Master, is there anything improper?"

  "Does it matter whether the opponent is human or ghost? With this person's unpredictable methods, they move like a ghost, making it hard for people to detect. Their killing technique is like a maze, those who get caught will die instantly, and even their corpses won't be left intact... Can we call such a being human or ghost? Will the soldiers believe us if we say that? And if this person really has such abilities, can they still be considered human?"

  A series of questions from the great shaman, made Jin Jun's three kings feel chilled to the bone. It was as if they had only just thought of this "evil spirit"'s string of unbelievable military achievements. If this person really could, relying on his own strength or with the help of a dozen or so men under him, destroy the camps of two large armies, what kind of ability was this? Was he still human, or merely a malevolent spirit in human form?

  "This matter should be reported to the Grand Shaman, and you three should make your preparations as well." The Great Shaman said, then left the tent on his own.

  Xie Ye Ma came back to his senses and hastily ordered the Mo Ke, who was waiting on one side, to bring a team of people and horses with a sedan chair, to escort the Sheng Shi away. The great witch doctor in the mouth of the Da Wu Shi is actually the Shaman master witch doctor who followed the Jin army commander Wan Yan Zong Wang's central army back north. Di Lie's name "Xiong Ling" was spread from his mouth. And now that there have been further discoveries, it is necessary to report to him, and perhaps even to perform divination.

  Wanyan Yeshi, although a Bohai person, had been an official in the Han-ized Liao for many years. In terms of his understanding of supernatural powers, he was far more enlightened than these Jurchen barbarians who had just emerged from the mountains and forests only a few decades ago. Although he had previously recounted the incredible feats of that suspected evil spirit, he actually didn't quite believe it in his heart. He thought there were too many exaggerations and distortions involved - those incredibly powerful thunderbolts should be improved versions of fireballs; while that invisible and intangible killing method might have been achieved with giant crossbows shooting pellets...

  It must be said that Wanyan Zheng is indeed a master of the Three Kingdoms, with exceptional insight and perception. His guess was already very close to the truth. However, even if he were more astute, he would never have imagined that the projectile launcher, although not a giant crossbow or divine catapult, was a hundred times more terrifying than the most powerful weapon in this era!

  When Wanyan Yao proposed that he lead his own two thousand elite soldiers to search for the "evil spirit" along the way, Shi Yande refused without hesitation, saying that he would only listen to and follow the orders of the Right Vice General.

  As Shi Ye Ma finished speaking, a cold glint flashed across his seemingly sincere eyes.

  At the moment when Wanyan Yeshi bowed his head to obey, he keenly captured that chill and felt a coolness in his heart. He knew that the Jurchen people would never trust him after all, and would not let him lead a large army to a place where the Jin dynasty had no control, for fear of trouble. Wanyan Yeshi sighed inwardly and left the tent dejectedly.

  At this time, the chaotic creature in history known as "Liao's leftover, Song's thorn, and Jin's meritorious minister" did not know that this would be his last time leading troops. As soon as he returned to Yanjing, Wanyan Zongwang immediately deployed strong military forces to garrison the Yanjing Prefecture, then stripped him of his military power, and lured more than 30 of his trusted generals to their deaths within the prefectural government. At the same time, they confiscated the weapons and armor of the 8,000-strong Changsheng Army, forcibly disbanded them, and sent them back to their hometowns. They also dispatched a large army to ambush the families of the Changsheng Army soldiers on their way home at Songting Pass, and brutally killed this branch of the former Liao army, the former Song dynasty's Changsheng Army, which was one of the few armies in the entire Song military system that dared to fight the Jin army face-to-face.

  The invincible army was defeated and annihilated, and Wanyan Zhengyi barely escaped with his life.

  This is perhaps the tragic fate of a struggling and surviving second-rate minister with wolf-like qualities in the chaotic world of great powers vying for dominance.