Moma Liangshan

Chapter 173 Dagu Port, Entering Shangjing

Of the four warships from Jiaozhou, only the Qiuniu, Yazi, and Chaofeng accompanied Wang Hao on his visit to the Liao Dynasty because the Pulao warship accompanied Lin Yi to recruit marines along the coasts of Fujian and Guangdong. Haiqing County, Nanjing Circuit, was located in what is roughly the northwestern part of what would later become Tianjin Municipality. The Haihe River flowed through the county and emptied into the sea at Dagu Port. However, the Khitan were a nomadic people from the grasslands, and could only ever dream of the vast ocean. Therefore, Haiqing County's greatest value to the Liao court lay not in its maritime advantages, but in its possession of the largest sea salt production area in northern China, a crucial component of the later Changlu Saltworks.

The fleet from Jiaozhou had been notified in advance by the garrison of Haiqing County before docking at Dagu Port. This was because the ships carried not only Wang Hao's delegation but also Princess Yelü Yuliyan of Shu. Furthermore, the five thousand weapons the princess had taken from the Jiaozhou ironworks had been transported from Jiaozhou to Dagu Port by ships from Jiaozhou before being transferred to Shangjing. Despite this, the arrival of the three large ships at Dagu Port still caused a stir among the Liao garrison. Wang Hao and the Princess of Shu stood on the deck of the Qiuniu warship, looking at the coastline not far away. Wang Hao said, "This time, I have prepared five hundred sets of iron armor as a gift for your father!" The Princess of Shu and Wang Hao were old acquaintances. With a slight smile, she said, "Five hundred sets of iron armor, isn't that a bit too few for you, Young Master Wang?" Wang Hao shook his head helplessly and said, "The number of craftsmen in the ironworks has doubled, but steel production has only increased by ten percent!" The Princess of Shu asked, "Why?" Wang Hao replied, "Salt and iron have always been monopolies of the imperial court. I lack sufficient sources of raw materials!" The Princess of Shu suddenly remembered that Wang Hao had clearly stated that he wanted the mining rights to the Pingzhou iron mine and the Luanzhou coal mine. She said, "Pingzhou and Luanzhou are adjacent to the heartland of the Liao Dynasty. If you want to mine in these two places, you must obtain your father's permission!" The Qiuniu warship soon docked, and Wang Hao and the Princess of Shu disembarked one after the other.

Princess Shu was of noble birth and deeply favored by Emperor Tianzuo. Not long ago, she brought five thousand fine weapons to help Emperor Tianzuo stabilize the defenses of the capital. When Emperor Tianzuo first saw the five thousand weapons, he personally asked the Princess of Shu in court, "Where did my son obtain these five thousand elite weapons?" The Princess of Shu replied, "There is a young hero in the Song Kingdom named Wang Hao, who is willing to trade weapons and provisions with the Liao Kingdom!" Emperor Tianzuo was delighted upon hearing this and asked, "How will the trade be conducted?" The Princess of Shu replied, "Wang Hao did not specify." Emperor Tianzuo was displeased and said, "Such secrecy, yet he dares to call himself a hero?" The Princess of Shu quickly said, "Wang Hao wishes to visit the capital and discuss matters personally with Father Emperor!" Emperor Tianzuo laughed and said, "He has some courage; I grant his permission!" This conversation in the Liao court had already reached the ears of Yelü Boge, the garrison commander of Nanjing. When he learned that the Princess of Shu and this young master Wang Hao were about to land at Dagu Port, he personally led civil and military officials to welcome them.

Yelü Boge bowed slightly, looking at the Shu princess and Wang Hao approaching side by side, and suddenly felt a sense of "a perfect match." A moment later, the Shu princess arrived before the crowd, who shouted in unison, "Greetings, Princess!" The Shu princess replied, "No need for formalities, gentlemen!" Then she looked at Yelü Boge and said, "Lord Yelü, as the garrison commander of Nanjing, why have you also come to Dagu?" Yelü Boge replied, "How could I not personally greet Your Highness upon your arrival?" The Shu princess walked towards the carriage ahead, asking, "How is the battle in Shangjing?" Yelü Boge said, "The weapons Your Highness sent to Shangjing not only improved the soldiers' combat effectiveness but also boosted morale; the front lines have been stabilized again!" The Shu princess was slightly relieved and said, "..." "This is Young Master Wang Hao. He may become a frequent visitor to Dagu Port in the future!" Yelü Boge immediately said, "I've only heard of Young Master Wang's great name before, and seeing him today, I can see that his reputation is well-deserved!" Wang Hao quickly replied, "You flatter me, Your Excellency!" He then continued, "I came by sea, so my carriage and horses cannot accompany me, but the soldiers and goods on board will go with me to the capital. Please help arrange that, Your Excellency!" Yelü Boge replied, "Don't worry, Young Master Wang, the carriages and horses are all ready!" Accompanying Wang Hao to Liao were twelve Han Chinese, including Yang Zhi, Lin Chong, and Cao Hong; eleven Liaodong Han Chinese, including Xiong Pi; and seven Mongols, including Morigen and Jida. Li Cangbai and Gao Que, the chief guard and chief secretary of the Shu princess respectively, were also among the entourage.

The Shu princess, not wanting any delay, ordered, "Load all the goods onto the carts immediately! I must depart at once!" Yelü Boge said, "Princess, you've had a long journey; why not rest for the night before continuing?" The Shu princess's face darkened with anger, and she said, "The soldiers at the front are fighting valiantly; how can I rest in peace?" Seeing this, Wang Hao said, "The ship carries not only weapons and armor, but also the Eight Immortals Wine I presented to your emperor. It would be best if the garrison commander personally went to supervise!" The Shu princess looked at Wang Hao and said, "That's fine!" Yelü Boge, feeling as if granted a pardon, gave Wang Hao a grateful look and then said, "This humble subject will go to supervise immediately!"

After the Nanjing garrison commander left, Wang Hao advised, "He meant well, why are you so harsh?" The Shu princess coldly replied, "Shangjing is the capital of the Liao Dynasty, yet it is besieged by a powerful enemy; my father is the emperor of the Liao Dynasty, yet he is fighting a difficult battle against a powerful enemy. At this time, someone tells me to rest in peace, how can I not be angry?" Wang Hao comforted her, "The garrison commander also said that the defenses of Shangjing are secure, and the most difficult time must have passed!" The Shu princess gritted her teeth and said, "The 50,000 Jin troops attacking Liaodong are about to join the battle in Shangjing, and the situation my father faces will only become more difficult, so we cannot delay in the slightest!" Wang Hao said, "In that case, let the men and horses go first, and the goods follow!" The Shu princess was somewhat moved, and after a moment, she gave the order, saying, "One person, two horses, head to Shangjing tonight!"

Wang Hao was somewhat worried about his physical strength, but thinking of how even a woman like the Princess of Shu could be fearless, how could he possibly back down? After two days and two nights of forced marching, Wang Hao and his men finally arrived at Shangjing, the capital of Liao. However, Shangjing was no longer the prosperous city it once was; everywhere was ravaged by war. Outside the city walls, corpses littered the grass and among the rubble; inside the walls, emaciated civilians and soldiers with tattered armor were everywhere. Even the magnificent and solemn Liao imperial palace was shrouded in the desolation of a dying dynasty. Looking at everything before him, Wang Hao seemed to foresee the tragic fate of the Northern Song imperial family and the Han people after the Jingkang Incident.

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