"Your Majesty Zhao, do not be troubled!"
To Qian Chu's surprise, the first person to speak was neither a Song minister nor a general, but Li Yu, who at this point could not quite be classified as either an external vassal or a captive.
"The Book of Songs says, 'The warning from Yin is not distant, it lies in the age of the Xia rulers.' If Your Majesty already understands the flaws of statecraft, then you may rectify the crooked and set right the errant. Song can avoid this calamity."
Qian Chu considered this for a moment and soon understood.
Li Congjia had never been overly devoted to the longevity of Southern Tang in any practical sense. After ascending the throne, he had truly devoted himself to only two pursuits: indulgence and declaring submission to Song. His attachment to Jiangnan likely stemmed more from a reluctance to betray the ancestral foundation left by his forebears than from any grand political ambition.
Yet when it came to literature, Li Yu's passion was entirely sincere. Now that he had learned his poetic reputation would endure for a thousand years, how could he possibly accept the severing of cultural continuity.
Zhao Kuangyin snorted at Li Yu's fervor.
"Did you think I summoned you here to watch this for amusement?"
"I have declared my resolve before this light screen, before Zhuge Liang and Emperor Taizong of Tang. I will unify this fractured age, recover the old lands of Yan and Yun, and restore unity to the realm of Huaxia."
The force of his words dispersed the oppressive mood that had settled in the hall, drawing everyone away from the shadow of Song's destruction.
"I shall devote my life to fulfilling Your Majesty's will and preventing disasters that Huaxia has yet to encounter."
Qian Chu stepped forward at precisely the right moment, seizing the opportunity so smoothly that Zhao Kuangyin broke into a broad smile.
"How could I bear to see Wende exhaust himself unto death? To understand the great principle of unification, to join Song's strength and recover Jiangnan, that alone would already be a worthy achievement."
"To honor your merit, I have ordered a residence constructed in Bianliang to receive you as a guest of distinction."
"I do not love money, but the building of such a residence takes time, and the location is among the finest in the capital. Many matters have required considerable labor from the people."
Qian Chu understood at once and did not wait for Zhao Kuangyin to continue.
"The strength of the people is the foundation of Song. How could it be squandered lightly? Whatever expenses have been incurred should naturally be covered by me."
Li Yu watched with his own eyes as Zhao Kuangyin took Qian Chu by the arm and led him toward a corner of the hall. While walking, the emperor smoothly drew a sheet of paper from his sleeve and handed it over.
Li Yu distinctly heard Qian Chu inhale sharply.
"To contribute a small sum in support of Song's strength brings me great joy."
Yet the tremor in Qian Chu's voice betrayed him.
A spark of competitiveness flared in Li Yu's heart.
"Your Majesty Zhao, my own domain has already been fully taken by General Cao. Having witnessed this heavenly revelation, I harbor no resentment. That residence for worthy men should surely include one for me as well, that I may settle in Bianliang."
Qian Chu turned abruptly, looking at Li Yu with undisguised admiration, which only made Li Yu stand taller.
Though Wuyue prospered through commerce, Southern Tang had possessed far broader lands, and Li Yu's private treasury had once been piled high beyond counting. Why would he hesitate over a single residence?
Zhao Kuangyin's expression shifted from surprise to delight and then to dignified composure. He coughed lightly, adopting a trace of reluctance.
"I understand your intention, Congjia. Yet Jinling lies in ruins and must also be restored. That too requires the people's labor."
Li Yu waved a hand.
"I shall contribute twice what Wende offers for the residence."
All hesitation vanished instantly from Zhao Kuangyin's face. The emperor of Song clasped Li Yu's hands warmly.
"A deal is a deal."
Cao Bin remained silent, his gaze fixed on the light screen, where the emaciated general in battered armor, gaunt as a refugee by the riverbanks, was swallowed by the storm. He sighed softly.
Chancellor Zhao Pu understood the feeling and murmured in complexity, "And yet such a dynasty endured more than three hundred years."
---
In Huagai Hall, a roar echoed once more.
"Our Great Ming's mandate was shorter than Song's?"
The voice of the Ming emperor reverberated in disbelief.
There would be no answer to such questioning, so Zhu Biao tactfully offered his father a step down.
"Father, did you not say you had already seen the light screen once before and learned Great Ming's fate?"
Zhu Yuanzhang coughed to mask his awkwardness and shook his head.
"At that time, the screen only spoke in broad terms, saying Great Ming would endure three or four hundred years. I thought even four hundred seemed too few."
"Who could have imagined…"
Empress Ma intervened gently.
"The later generations have never stated the precise number before. Moreover, if counted in this way, Great Ming is merely shorter than that figure. Surely three hundred years should be attainable."
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded vigorously.
"Exactly. These later calculations are full of tricks. Can the two Han be counted as one? The two Song should clearly be counted as two. By that reckoning, Great Ming ought to rank among the foremost in longevity."
His father had calmed down, but Zhu Biao gazed at the light screen with lingering doubt.
Would Great Ming truly reach three hundred years?
He feared not.
Yet he would not voice such thoughts to dampen his father's spirits. Instead, he offered a gentler reminder.
"Father, after Ming there is still Hu Qing."
His father replied with a cold laugh.
"How could barbarians possess a mandate lasting a hundred years?"
---
[Lightscreen]
[When Song fell, martyrdom was not confined to Yashan alone.
For example, Li Fu, defender of Tanzhou, declared when the city fell that he had exhausted his strength and must die. Unable to bear the thought of his family being captured and humiliated, he ordered a trusted subordinate to kill them all.
The defender of Chizhou acted similarly. Reflecting perhaps on the saying that it is easy to die in passionate fury but difficult to face death calmly, Zhao Maofa inscribed a plaque reading "One May Die with Composure" and hanged himself beneath it with his wife. When Bayan, commander of the Yuan forces, saw their bodies, he was struck silent and ordered that they be buried without insult.
Among those who faced death calmly for their country, the most renowned was Wen Tianxiang.
During the naval campaign at Yashan, Wen Tianxiang was already a captive. Before the battle, Zhang Hongfan asked him to write a letter persuading Zhang Shijie to surrender. Wen refused.
Pressed repeatedly, Wen instead wrote the poem "Passing Lingdingyang," still memorized by students today. His determination to die was clear, and after preserving the poem, Zhang Hongfan ceased pressing him.
After witnessing Zhang Shijie's defeat and Lu Xiufu's leap into the sea, Wen was escorted north. On the journey, he began a hunger strike seeking death. After eight days, he was still alive, yet the world outside could not restrain itself.
One of the most famous writings to circulate was titled "A Living Sacrifice to the Chancellor Wen." The title alone reveals its intent, and such a eulogy was rare in any age.
Its author was Wang Yanwu, once the son of a wealthy family. After Lin'an fell, he joined Wen Tianxiang's staff, spent his fortune aiding resistance, and later returned home for his mother's funeral. When Wen passed through Luling under guard, Wang feared he might not see the essay and printed hundreds of copies, posting them at roadways throughout the region.
Whether angered by former colleagues or enlightened by proximity to death, Wen Tianxiang suddenly abandoned his wish to die. He resolved instead to see Dadu and observe the regime that had destroyed Song.
Along the way, he teased officials who had only years before drawn salaries from Song. He declared that surrendering to Yuan was impossible, but if released to become a Daoist priest and preserve his integrity, he might someday serve Yuan as an advisor beyond the secular world.
Unfortunately for him, the Yuan officials understood all too well the rebellious traditions of Daoism. If released and allowed to take religious vows, would he not simply rebel later and cost them their heads?
His stratagem exposed, Wen Tianxiang was escorted to Dadu, where he would spend three years in captivity.
It was during this time that he composed "Song of Righteousness." ]