Chapter 156: Negotiation

Carrying the severed head of Wanyan Loushi, Han Shizhong returned in triumph.

Upon arriving at the designated assembly point, Han Shizhong learned the news of Yang Zaixing's death in battle. This iron-willed, valiant man could not help but let two clear tears fall.

"Tell me, why did Yang Zaixing die in battle?" Han Shizhong clenched his fists tightly, staring fiercely at Zhang Jun.

Subjected to Han Shizhong's blazing gaze, Zhang Jun felt a tingling sensation down his spine. He knew Han Shizhong was truly enraged. In his youth, Han Shizhong had been a reckless street ruffian, carrying a distinct aura of unruly defiance. As a scholar, Zhang Jun could not help feeling deeply apprehensive at this moment.

Scholars looked down upon military officers, always believing that military officials knew only of slaughter and combat, completely lacking in composure. Now, under Han Shizhong's intense stare, this prejudice in Zhang Jun's mind intensified. He took a step back and said to Han Shizhong, "He was the one who insisted on leading troops to ambush the Jin army, and instead fell right into their trap. What does that have to do with me?!"

Han Shizhong grabbed Zhang Jun by the collar, saying in a cold voice, "Where were you when the ambush was sprung? Why didn't you go to his rescue? Why did you only let Yang Zaixing charge forward with a mere five thousand vanguard troops?"

Zhang Jun forcefully shook himself free from Han Shizhong's grip and said coldly, "General Han, you are, after all, an official of the imperial court; you should know some basic courtesy. By imperial decree, I am the military strategist of the grand army, an official of the third rank. Treating me this way is thoroughly impolite."

Furious, Han Shizhong pointed at Zhang Jun and snapped, "Spare me your empty rhetoric! Let me tell you, I, Han Shizhong, don't buy into that nonsense. You had better pray I don't find out that you intentionally caused Yang Zaixing's death, or I will certainly hack you to pieces and throw you up the mountain to feed the wolves."

With that, Han Shizhong flicked his sleeve and strode away.

Panic truly gripped Zhang Jun's heart at that moment. What kind of man was Han Shizhong? Since he dared to say such things, he certainly dared to carry them out. If it were eventually discovered that he had deliberately delayed rescuing Yang Zaixing, ultimately causing him to be overwhelmed by superior numbers and killed in battle, he would likely be chopped up and fed to the wolves by Han Shizhong.

Brooding over these thoughts, a bold idea suddenly struck Zhang Jun. He fled—fleeing in the dead of night, genuinely afraid that lingering any longer would cost him his life at Han Shizhong's hands.

Yang Zaixing's remains lay安置 in a desolate tent.

Han Shizhong came to pay his respects. "Brother, it is your elder brother who brought this doom upon you!" Gripping Yang Zaixing's hand tightly, Han Shizhong could not stop tears from streaming down his cheeks as he spoke.

Earlier, Han Shizhong had assigned Zhang Jun to accompany Yang Zaixing to Yushu precisely because he feared Yang Zaixing might be overly impulsive and suffer needless casualties, intending for Zhang Jun to keep him in check. He never imagined this arrangement would lead to Yang Zaixing's demise.

The Jin army had already severed Yang Zaixing's head; now, only his headless corpse remained in the tent. Gazing at the numerous wounds covering his body, Han Shizhong could vividly imagine the harrowing brutality of that battle.

How immense must the agony have been that Yang Zaixing endured before his death?

"Rest assured, brother, I will certainly reclaim your head and bring you home whole," Han Shizhong vowed solemnly. This was the final thing he could ever do for Yang Zaixing.

Though Han Shizhong currently possessed the head of Wanyan Loushi—originally intended to be presented to Zhao Huan as a claim for merit—he now had no choice but to use it as leverage to trade back Yang Zaixing's head.

The main force of the Song army withdrew to the ships, and Han Shizhong dispatched Li Linbo as an envoy to the Jin state, intending to exchange Wanyan Loushi's head for Yang Zaixing's.

Traveling alone to Shangjing City, Li Linbo was received by Wanyan Zongwang.

"You have quite the nerve, young man, daring to come alone to our Shangjing. It seems you are tired of living," Wanyan Zongwang said to Li Linbo.

Though intense nervousness gripped Li Linbo's heart at that moment, the thought that his mission was to reclaim Yang Zaixing's head steadied him. Having followed Yang Zaixing for a long time, and having been forcefully ordered by him to leave at the end—otherwise he too would have become a cold corpse—he cast his fears aside.

"Naturally I love living. When one is living well, who wishes to throw their life away?" Unfazed by the intimidating bluster of the Jin commanders, Li Linbo retorted sharply, "I come under the orders of our grand general to negotiate. They say that in a war between two nations, the messenger is not executed. If you kill me, you will undoubtedly become a laughingstock to the entire world."

Wanyan Zongwang replied dismissively, "If I kill you, I kill you. You flatter yourself far too much. Let me tell you, once I execute you, I will hang your corpse from the city walls for three days for all to see."

With that, Wanyan Zongwang shouted to the personal guards outside, "Guards! Drag this fellow out and behead him."

"Wait! If you kill me, you will never be able to reclaim the head of Wanyan Loushi!" Li Linbo shouted loudly.

Hearing Li Linbo's words, Wanyan Zongwang frowned and hurriedly gestured to stop the guards who were dragging Li Linbo away.

Stepping up to Li Linbo, Wanyan Zongwang said coldly, "Hand over the head of Wanyan Loushi, and I will spare your life. Otherwise, I'll have you executed and fed to the dogs right now."

Li Linbo sneered and said, "As I said, I am here to negotiate with you. If you possess any sincerity, release me and let us sit down to discuss this properly."

Staring at Li Linbo before him, Wanyan Zongwang demanded, "State your terms."

Without beating around the bush, Li Linbo stated directly, "Our Song army holds the head of one of your generals, while you hold the head of Wanyan Loushi. Our general's proposal is an exchange of the two heads."

When Li Linbo finished, Wanyan Zongwang frowned at him and asked, "Is that all?"

Nodding, Li Linbo replied, "That is all."

"Hmph, you Song troops certainly know how to calculate a favorable deal. But why have you omitted the matters of your troops destroying our city of Shangjing, slaughtering our dynasty's people, and looting our imperial treasury?" Wanyan Zongwang said sarcastically.

"General Zongwang, if we are to thoroughly settle past accounts, let us calculate how much wealth your Jin army plundered when you marched south into Song territory, and how many of our homes you burned down. If all of that is to be brought into these negotiations, I would be more than happy to sit down with the General and carefully tally up the compensation," Li Linbo replied with a cold sneer, matching Wanyan Zongwang blow for blow.