Weather has cooled down, and Datong in the Jin Kingdom welcomes a brightly lit night.

Leaves are falling, and withered grass is breaking; winter is fast approaching in the north. But the chill in the air hasn't diminished Datong's vibrant atmosphere. Even the increasingly strict security measures and the tense atmosphere haven't reduced the number of lanterns lit. Carriages adorned with flags and lanterns travel along the city streets, occasionally brushing past marching soldiers. As the curtains of the carriages sway open, faces filled with nobility and arrogance are revealed. Battle-hardened veterans sit at the front of the carriages, cracking their whips high in the air. In the shops still illuminated by lights, the powerful gather, talking and laughing.

The most important matters of a nation are sacrifice and warfare. A new round of southern expeditions has already begun. With 300,000 troops departing to the east, Xijing Datong has become the focus of attention for the Jin Kingdom's nobles. Lines of interest intertwine and converge here. Having gained the world from horseback, some Jin nobles send their children to the new battlefield, hoping to win further glory. Others, the wealthy and influential, eye the lucrative opportunities brought about by the war: countless future slaves, fertile fiefdoms in the south, various treasures they hope the soldiers will bring back from the Wu Dynasty, or even the loopholes that can be exploited in the massive logistical operations of the army's movements.

Compared to the erosion experienced by the Wu Dynasty over two hundred years, the newly emerged Jin Empire displays a different attitude when facing enormous profits: Zongfu and Zongbi choose to conquer the entire Southern Wu to gain the power to deter Wanyan Zonghan. But beyond this, more than a decade of prosperity and enjoyment has still displayed its power. The poor, suddenly rich, enjoy all the good things in the world thanks to the dividends of war. But such enjoyment may not last forever. After more than a decade of cycles, when the benefits that nobles can enjoy begin to decline, those who have experienced the peak may not be willing to return to poverty.

Not to mention poverty, even a slight regression is generally unacceptable.

If the old nobles, who once conquered the world on horseback, want to obtain benefits again, their methods will inevitably be simple and crude: providing military supplies at high prices, using inferior goods, diverting military grain through connections, and then reselling it on the market... Greed always maximizes people's imagination.

Nobles continue to pour into Datong, and the crackdown on these activities has become intense in the area. In the past few days, even the sons of two dukes have been arrested, severely injured by Zonghan himself with a whip, seemingly signaling the peak of the hard-line old generation's cleansing of the corrupt atmosphere of the younger generation of Jurchens. Under the personal supervision of Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Xiyin, the Datong government is acting vigorously, dealing with many sons of dignitaries in recent days. After arresting and torturing these sons of dignitaries, they are thrown into the southern expedition army to serve as punishment.

But such strictness has not prevented the nobles from flocking to Datong one after another. Even with the young people being thrown into the army, some old meritorious officials and even the wives of meritorious officials have come to the city to seek favors, making the situation inside and outside the city even more chaotic.

However, this chaos is about to come to an end.

"...A large tree often dies because it has termites. The world is chaotic, and national affairs are often the same." In this prosperous night, Wanyan Xiyin is overlooking the night outside from the pavilion of Chen Wang's mansion, talking to the two young men beside him, who are already quite tall. These are his two sons with Chen Wenjun, the eldest son, Wanyan Dezheng, and the second son, Wanyan Youyi. As the most scholarly family in the Jurchen noble circle, Xiyin's two children have not disappointed his expectations. Wanyan Dezheng is tall and proficient in both literary and martial arts. Although Wanyan Youyi appears weak, he already has insights into literary matters. Even if he cannot match his father's brilliance, he is considered an outstanding figure among the younger generation.

He is about to go on an expedition. As he talks to his two sons, Chen Wenjun brings tea from the room, serving the three people closest to her in the world. Although Xiyin's family has strict rules, his daily interactions with his children don't resemble a father who puts on airs. Therefore, even his instructions before leaving seem extremely amiable.

"In recent years, your father has often felt that the world is changing too fast. Since the late Emperor's uprising, sweeping the world as if it were nothing and laying down this foundation, in just twenty years, our Jin is still strong, but it is no longer invincible. Take a closer look, our Jin's sharpness is being lost, and our opponents are becoming more fierce. The rampage of the Black Flag a few years ago was a precedent. The theory of *gewu*, which led to the rise of firearms, is even more worrying. Zuoqiu said, 'Be prepared for danger in times of peace; preparation leads to readiness.' This southern expedition may be able to secure the world before the changes in firearms, but it should also be your father's last time to accompany the army."

Having fought in the north and south, with a life spent on horseback, Wanyan Xiyin is already showing signs of aging, with half of his hair turning white. As he speaks like this, his sensible sons naturally praise his dragon-horse spirit. Xiyin waves his hand and laughs freely: "Your father's body is naturally still good, but it can't stand flattery. Since you are going to the battlefield, you should have a heart of determination. Since you are the sons of the *gu shen* (grain god), and you are about to start standing on your own, your father has some entrustments to leave to you... No need to say more, and no need to say anything auspicious or inauspicious... Our Jurchens rose from the black and white mountains. Your fathers had no food or clothing in their youth, drinking blood. Since following Emperor Aguda in the uprising, they have fought for many years and defeated countless enemies! Destroyed the Liao Kingdom! Swallowed the Central Plains! Reaching today, your father is a prince, and you have grown up with fine clothes and good food... It was bought with blood."

"Having reached this point, what your father remembers most is not these pavilions and towers, these fine clothes and good food. Today's Jurchens sweep the world. Wherever you go, you see those people arrogant and full of pride. The Jurchens your father remembers are not like this. Today, what your father remembers more are the dead... Friends who grew up together, died without knowing when. Brothers in the war, died in the fighting, falling to the ground, their bodies unattended, and when you turned back, you couldn't find them... Dezheng, Youyi, the days you are living today are built on corpses and blood. Not only the blood of Jurchens, but also the blood of Liao and Han people. You must remember that."

As he talks about the Han people, he reaches out and takes Chen Wenjun's hand.

"Now that the world is about to be settled, the last expedition, your fathers will sweep away this world and give this rich world to you on a foundation of corpses. You may not need to fight anymore. What do you need to learn? You need to learn how to stop it from bleeding. The blood of Jurchens should not flow, and to prevent the Jurchens from bleeding, it is best if the Han and Liao people don't bleed either. Because if you make them bleed, they will also make things difficult for you. This is... your homework."

In the pavilion, Wanyan Xiyin pauses: "Also, there is the corruption of people's hearts. When life gets better, people become bad..."

His words continue in the pavilion for a long time. The city lights outside are brilliant. By the time he finishes these instructions, it is already late. The two children say goodbye and leave. Xiyin takes his wife's hand and remains silent for a long time.

"You're not feeling well in your heart, are you?" After a moment, Xiyin finally speaks.

Chen Wenjun lowers her head slightly, without saying a word.

"I am a Jurchen," Xiyin says, "I can't change that in this lifetime. You are a Han, and there's no way to change that either. Jurchens want to live well, ha... no one wants to live poorly. Thinking about it over the years, fighting for so long must have an end. That end will either be the defeat of the Jurchens, the disappearance of the Jin, and I will take you to live in a place where there is no one else, or the world that should be conquered is conquered, and we can settle down. Now it seems that the latter is more likely."

"You're not feeling well, so bear with it. After this battle is over, the only thing your husband wants to do is to make the Han people live better. Let the Jurchens, Liao people, Han people... integrate as soon as possible. I may not see it in this lifetime, but your husband will do his best to do it. The general trend of the world has its ups and downs. If the Han people live too well, they are destined to fall for a period of time. There's no way to avoid it..."

Chen Wenjun does not speak.

Tears fall.

...

On the same night, in the same city, Mandu Dalu rides his horse as fast as the wind, anxiously rushing through the streets of Datong.

"Hurry! Hurry—"

While shouting this, he is still vigorously wielding his whip. The cavalry team behind him is also chasing with all their might. The rumble of the horses' hooves sounds like a torrent flowing through the streets.

After a while, this team arrives at the gate of a large residence in the east of the city at the fastest speed, seals it off from front to back, and breaks in.

There is a commotion in the residence. Guards come up to stop them, but Mandu Dalu chops them down with a single strike each. He rushes through the corridors and past terrified servants, heading straight into the inner courtyard. When he sees a middle-aged man, he finally shouts loudly: "Lord Jiang, your deeds have been exposed—surrender..."

The official surnamed Jiang has a high position in the Jurchen court and is a major subordinate of Shili Ai. This time, he holds a key position in the logistics system for troop movements. Upon hearing these words and seeing Mandu Dalu enter, the official is already covered in sweat, his face pale, holding a steel knife. Before he can even rush to the person in front of him, he turns his hand over and plunges the blade into his stomach.

"Damn it!" Mandu Dalu rushes over. The other person is already in a state of having a steel knife through his abdomen. He grits his teeth, suddenly hugs the other person, and stabilizes the wound. "Lord *Gu Shen* ordered me to handle this matter fully. Do you think you can just die! Tell me who is behind this! Tell me a name—otherwise, I will make your whole family suffer torture worse than death. I mean what I say—"

Mandu Dalu was initially recalled to Datong to find the murderer who assassinated Zonghan. Later, he participated in the Han slave rebellion. When the army gathered and logistics operations began, he intervened in these matters again. For several months, Mandu Dalu solved many cases in Datong. The case he uncovered from the clues this time is the biggest. Some Jurchen nobles, in collusion with logistics officials, embezzled and emptied military supplies, enriching themselves by substituting inferior goods. This official surnamed Jiang is a key figure in this.

When he found this clue, he was already noticed by the people behind the scenes. He rushed over to arrest him, but it seemed that someone had already arrived one step earlier. This Lord Jiang knew he was doomed and hesitated for a long time before finally stabbing himself. Mandu Dalu threatens loudly and desperately tries to keep the other person conscious. Lord Jiang's consciousness is fading, and he has already begun to vomit blood, but he finally raises his hand, extends his finger, and points to a place.

"What! What is it! Speak clearly! Speak!" Mandu Dalu slaps him once, then slaps him again.

But the other person finally loses his breath.

"What... what is it!" Mandu Dalu stands up and turns around, looking at the direction Lord Jiang is pointing. After a moment, he is stunned.

Among a pile of tables and chairs there, there is a piece of black tablecloth.

"Black Flag..." Mandu Dalu understands, "The Clown..."

Over the course of several months, Mandu Dalu has solved cases everywhere and had dealt with this name before. Later, during the Han slave rebellion, this Black Flag spy took the opportunity to steal a roster from Lord *Gu Shen*'s mansion, causing a stir throughout Xijing. It is said that this roster was later difficult to transmit, involving many figures. Lord *Gu Shen* seemed to have personally fought with him, using this list to make some wavering Southerners clarify their positions, but the other person also prematurely exposed more Southerners who had submitted to the Jin. In a sense, Lord *Gu Shen* suffered a loss in this contest.

Mandu Dalu wanted to catch him, but in the following period, the other person disappeared. He then went to take charge of other matters. In this clue, there was also a vague mention of a Han person pulling the strings, who seemed to be that Clown, but Mandu Dalu was not sure before. By today, after breaking through the fog and understanding the situation, from the outstretched hand of that Lord Jiang, he is sure of the other person's identity.

This Lord Jiang is already dead, and many people will escape as a result. But even with what has surfaced now, it involves a total of nearly 30,000 *shi* (unit of dry measure) of grain shortages. If it is all pulled out, it may be even more.

"I will definitely catch you..."

Mandu Dalu stands up and cleaves the table in front of him with a single strike. This Black Flag member nicknamed Clown, he wanted to catch him as soon as he returned to Datong, but time and time again, either because of insufficient attention or because he was busy with other things, the other person repeatedly disappeared from his sight, making him feel棘手 (棘手 *jishou* - troublesome/thorny). But at the moment, he still has more things to do.

The West Route Army will begin its swearing-in ceremony tomorrow.

Tonight, many more people will die...

...

Ten *li* (unit of distance) south of Datong, the West Route Army camp, the endless lights and tents fill the entire field of vision, extending infinitely.

The convoys of supplies are still busy and gathering throughout the night—they have never stopped since long ago, and it seems that they will continue to operate forever.

Two figures climb up the mountain in the darkness, looking at everything suffocating from afar. The huge war machine is already in operation and is about to roll south.

"That guy named Jiang has been watched for a long time, and he may have been exposed..."

"It doesn't matter, the benefits have already been divided... You said..."

"Hmm?"

"Do you think what we're doing has had any effect?"

"Everyone does a little bit. Teacher said, doing it doesn't necessarily have results, but not doing it definitely won't."

Lu Mingfang and Tang Minjie stand in this darkness, looking at all of this vastness. After a moment, Lu Mingfang looks at the deeply contemplative Tang Minjie, pats him on the shoulder, and Tang Minjie suddenly turns his head, hearing Lu Mingfang say, "You're too tense."

"Am I?"

"The things here... are not something you and I can finish." He smiles, "I heard news that the east has already started fighting. Zhu Biao left Cengtou City, Wang Shanyue descended to Daming Prefecture, and later broke Li Xizhi's 200,000 troops on the banks of the Yellow River... Wang Shanyue seems to be planning to defend Daming Prefecture to the death..."

Although separated by thousands of miles, the military situation from the south is not slow to arrive. Lu Mingfang has channels and can know the information transmitted within the Jurchen army. He speaks in a low voice about the situation thousands of miles away. Tang Minjie closes his eyes, quietly feeling the rising tides of this entire world, and quietly experiencing everything terrifying that is to come.

On the nineteenth day of the eighth month of *Jianshuo* year nine, the Jurchen West Route Army began its fourth southern expedition from Datong under the leadership of General Wanyan Zonghan.

South of Yanmen Pass, forces led by Wang Juyun, Tian Shi, Yu Yulin, Lou Shuwan, and others have already built defenses, displaying an attitude of being fully prepared. In Datong, Xiyin bid farewell to Chen Wenjun and his two children: "We will bring this world back to the Jurchens."

In the south, after a round of scolding in the Golden Luan Hall and rejecting the ministers' plan to deploy heavy troops to attack Sichuan, Zhou Junwu set off for the northern front. He said to the court ministers: "If I don't repel the Jurchens, I won't come back."

Wang Shanyue on the north bank of the Yellow River: "I will defend Daming Prefecture, making it another Taiyuan."

That night, after looking at the Jurchen army ready for battle, Tang Minjie wiped his mouth and nose and turned to walk in the direction of Datong: "Something must be done... something must be done again..."

After that, autumn rain continued, and the flames of war pushed down, the continuous autumn rain falling on every part of this land. The great river flowed, the turbid water surging and roaring, accompanied by the sound of thunder, the sound of killing, the sound of resistance, smashing on every boulder along the way. Bursting open with a bang—