Chapter 22: The Death of Tong Guan

Yue Fei had long harbored a deep dislike for Tong Guan. When he heard that Zhao Huan ordered him to arrest Tong Guan, he nearly clapped his hands in delight.

Tong Guan, a eunuch, had caught the favor of Emperor Huizong of Song because of his skill in cuju, and had risen step by step to become the highest-ranking administrator of the Song military. For twenty years Tong Guan held command, and during his tenure, the Song army declined from strength to weakness. Under his direction, the practice of buying and selling military posts flourished. The soldiers he recruited were not fighters but craftsmen, and in the barracks, they did not train but pursued their trades. Essentially, the funds meant to support soldiers were used to pay these workers, with the profits all lining Tong Guan’s pockets.

As a soldier at the lowest ranks, Yue Fei experienced firsthand the consequences of Tong Guan’s actions. He was anxious but powerless—until now, when he finally saw his opportunity and would not let it slip by.

So, as soon as Tong Guan followed Zhao Ji into the imperial palace, Yue Fei detained him at once.

“How dare you! I am the chief of the Privy Council of the Song Dynasty, an official of the court. Who gave you such audacity, you cowardly soldiers? Are you trying to rebel?” Tong Guan shouted furiously at the soldiers who seized him.

The soldiers Yue Fei brought were all his trusted men and ignored Tong Guan’s words, preparing to take him away.

“Your Majesty, save me, save me!” Tong Guan cried out desperately, turning to Emperor Huizong Zhao Ji for help.

Zhao Ji, seeing the situation, asked, “Who are you? Why are you arresting Tong Guan?”

Yue Fei could ignore Tong Guan, but when Zhao Ji spoke, he had to respond. He stepped forward quickly and answered, “Your Majesty, I am Yue Fei, commander of the Imperial Guards, acting on the emperor’s orders to apprehend the criminal Tong Guan.”

“Your Majesty, save me!” Tong Guan trembled upon hearing that the order came from Zhao Huan; his legs grew weak. He had heard of Zhu Mian’s fate and feared he would soon follow the same path.

Zhao Ji understood the situation. He recalled how, on this journey, he owed much to Tong Guan, who brought twenty thousand guards from the front. So he said to Yue Fei, “Release General Tong for now. I will speak to the emperor about this matter later.”

But Yue Fei did not move.

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“Why? You dog, do you not obey the emperor’s command?” Tong Guan, seeing Zhao Ji intervene, became agitated and shouted at Yue Fei.

“Your Majesty, please do not make things difficult for me. The emperor decreed that Tong Guan must be thrown in prison today; I am simply following orders,” Yue Fei replied, recalling Zhao Huan’s words before he departed, and his admiration for the emperor grew.

“When you go to arrest Tong Guan, if His Majesty intervenes, say that Tong Guan defies the imperial order and should be executed for his crime. Even if the King of Heaven pleads for him, he cannot escape death,” Zhao Huan had said as Yue Fei was leaving.

“So? Is my word worthless now?” Zhao Ji asked Yue Fei, his face darkening.

Yue Fei was a straightforward general, and now, cornered by Zhao Ji, he could only reply, “Your Majesty, when I set out, the emperor told me that even if the King of Heaven begged for Tong Guan, he could not escape death.”

Upon hearing this, Tong Guan’s face turned ashen, and Zhao Ji’s expression soured. If not even the King of Heaven could save him, what hope did he, the emperor’s own father, have? It was clear Zhao Huan had anticipated he would plead for Tong Guan, yet still issued such an order, disregarding his father’s words entirely.

Realizing this, Zhao Ji felt a sudden sense of desolation. Power is a strange thing: when it is in your hands, you do not value it, but when it is lost, the sense of disparity strikes deeply.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Ji boarded his dragon carriage, his face grim, and did not emerge again until he reached Longde Palace. But that is a tale for another time.

Seeing Zhao Ji leave, Tong Guan realized his last hope was gone. Faced with imminent death, his will to survive surged. He shouted at the nearby guards, “Are you just going to watch me die? I have not been unkind to you!”

His words stirred several of the guards who had served under him.

Tong Guan hurried to incite them further, “Yue Fei abuses his power, holds Emperor Qinzong hostage, and falsely issues imperial orders. He should be executed for his crimes! Go, seize this traitor! Let us restore His Majesty to the throne!”

His words unsettled the guards. Zhao Ji was now the retired emperor, powerless, and following such a ruler offered little future. But if Zhao Ji were restored, as Tong Guan promised, their prospects would change—they might even gain merit for supporting him.

Fortune favors the bold. At that moment, over a hundred guards began to surround Yue Fei and his men.

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“So, you intend to rebel?” Yue Fei looked coldly at the assembled officers.

“Who is rebelling is yet to be decided,” Tong Guan retorted sharply.

With a sudden crack, Tong Guan’s words were cut short. He clutched his throat in agony, staring at Yue Fei in shock, his hands struggling to rise, as if to point at Yue Fei, but they fell limp halfway.

“You... you... dare to kill me?” Tong Guan gasped. Then, his strength failed, and he collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

A dull thud echoed, like a heavy hammer striking everyone’s heart.

The event happened so abruptly that no one present reacted; silence blanketed the scene.

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