Chapter 2, Dusk (Part 2)

If dreams are real, how should he confront the predicament before him? The fate of the Song Dynasty has less than two years left, and these heroes are about to fall one after another under the blades of the Mongolian warriors. If this is the destiny arranged by heaven, then why, why must it cruelly inform me, Wen Tianxiang, in advance, forcing me to watch the Song Dynasty march towards Yashan, into a sea of blood

Heaven, do you really want the downfall of the Song Dynasty? Chen Zijing sighed deeply, and on his dirty cassock, drops of heroic tears fell. For several days, he exhausted all his efforts, hoping to restore Wen Tianxiang. He used needles and stones, herbal medicine, and even the human-shaped He Shou Wu offered by the common people, yet he saw no results.

It is indeed a difficult situation for the Chancellor. Who would have expected that the despicable Western Xia dog, Li Heng, would have first raided our old camp? My wife and children have perished at the hands of the enemy. Who would not be anxious and tormented? The speaker was Zhang Tang, a local gentry from Tanzhou. When Wen Tianxiang launched an attack on Ganzhou, Zhang Tang raised a militia to join the cause. After this defeat, all the militias scattered, but only the thousand or so men under his command survived, relying on their familiarity with the terrain.

If Heaven has eyes, Chen Zijing would rather go mad himself than see Wen Tianxiang lose his sanity. The Song Dynasty can do without Chen Zijing, but it cannot do without Wen Tianxiang. Without Chen Zijing, it is merely the absence of a false monk who knows nothing of warfare and only pretends to be mystical. Without Wen Tianxiang, who will command the heroes of Tianxiang and cleanse the bloodshed across the land?

This suffering has evidently surpassed the endurance of Wen Tianxiang. Serving as an envoy to the Northern Yuan, fleeing into the rivers and lakes, and countless times teetering between life and death did not drive Wen Tianxiang to madness. Now, what pressure has ultimately defeated this gentleman, who has supported the crumbling nation with his scholarly frame!

"You are Wen Tianxiang, the Right Chancellor of the Song Dynasty. The entire populace of the Song is eagerly hoping for your revival, Chancellor, please awaken!" The advisor Du Hu of the supervisory office desperately shook the disheveled Wen Tianxiang, tears streaming down his face. It has been ten days since the defeat at Kongkeng, and during these ten days, Lord Wen has shown no concern for military affairs or internal governance. If this continues, the troops will disperse. Some of the generals have already suggested retreating south to Xunzhou (Guangdong) to regroup and then reunite with the court. It has been ten days since the defeat at Kongkeng, and during these ten days, Lord Wen has shown no concern for military affairs or internal governance. If this continues, the troops will disperse. Some of the generals have already suggested retreating south to Xunzhou (Guangdong) to regroup and then reunite with the court.

If the dream is absurd, the events within it are nonetheless etched in Wen Tianxiang's heart, impossible to forget. This includes the people from the dream and the books he has seen in the dream.

Watching the grand buildings being demolished, and observing the Mongolians reveling with strong liquor and women, the hearts of the new army soldiers felt quite uneasy. Yet, what other choice was there but to surrender? The Emperor has surrendered, and is now happily residing in Dadu as the Duke of Ying. Empress Dowager Xie has surrendered, and is now the Lady of Shouchun County in Northern Yuan. Chancellor Liu has surrendered, and a multitude of strategists, well-versed in the classics, have flocked to serve in the Yuan dynasty, causing Kublai Khan to laugh so hard he covers his nose every day. The old general Xia Gui, who has defended Jianghuai and fought against the Mongolians for so many years, has also surrendered at over eighty years of age, leaving behind a jest: "If I had only lived to seventy-nine, my name should be on the list of loyal ministers." General Zhang Shijie and Doctor Chen of the Xing dynasty have no intention of organizing resistance; they dream daily of a dignified surrender, hoping to exchange submission and servitude for a peaceful night’s rest. The only one who insists on resistance, the literary Chancellor, is said to have gone mad. The court has lost all hope; at this moment, everyone’s surrender is merely a step ahead of Doctor Chen's departure.

After the defeat of the empty pit soldiers, everyone fled in different directions, facing a life-and-death situation. It is said that the troops of Prime Minister Wen have gathered in the Wuyi Mountains, enduring countless hardships to seek refuge. Unexpectedly, what they encountered was such a desperate outcome. The Prime Minister Wen Tianxiang, whom everyone wholeheartedly followed, has gone mad and no longer attends to military affairs. When he is clear-headed, he draws chaotic and nonsensical diagrams; when he is confused, he grabs his generals and asks each one, "Who am I"

Then, there was the Republic of China, a nation without its people. Subsequently, the Japanese invaders invaded, and in my dreams, I took up arms, viewing Wen Tianxiang of the Song Dynasty as my idol

The generals nodded in agreement; that day, witnessing Wen Tianxiang's wife and children rolling in the mud and blood, the sound of the children reading aloud still lingers in the ears. Even a heart of iron and stone would be shattered into pieces.

This time, the Northern Yuan troops marched south, with their primary target being the eradication of Wen Tianxiang's forces. Although Wen Tianxiang held the nominal title of Prime Minister in the Song Dynasty without any real power and commanded only a contingent of troops, both the enemy and Wen Tianxiang's subordinates viewed the situation differently. Everyone understood that in the region of southern Jiangxi, so many valiant men were willing to sacrifice their lives for a cause. What they valued was certainly not the meaningless positions assigned by the Song Dynasty. The one who united tens of thousands of soldiers was none other than Wen Tianxiang, the madman currently in the tent.

"May the Eternal Heaven bless the Mongols" Several new attached troops (a title in the Yuan dynasty military system for soldiers who surrendered from the Southern Song) were insincerely applauding, their peripheral vision cautiously scanning the dark corners of the city. These traitors were filled with trepidation, always feeling as if countless eyes were watching them from the shadows.

"Here it comes again," the crowd exchanged glances, pondering this age-old question that no one can answer. Even the Prime Minister and teacher Chen Longfu could only sigh deeply, lamenting the unfairness of fate.

In fact, Wen Tianxiang had long been awake. The blow that Zhao Shishang struck on the back of his head was executed with great precision. However, he could not discern whether the dream he experienced while unconscious truly existed.

If all the royal family members of the Song Dynasty were like Zong Bai, where would the foul stench of a thousand miles come from? Liu Zijun, a hero from Luling, shook his head, a hint of mockery flashing across his pale face. The court has been too disappointing; everyone came here driven by the passion of Lord Wen. Since Lord Wen has gone mad, it would be better for everyone to set sail early, to avoid remaining here as a group of fourth-class exiled subjects.

Wen Tianxiang recalled that in the final moments, he pulled the pin on an object called a grenade. He even clearly remembered the astonished expressions of the several "devils" surrounding him who were trying to capture him alive.

"Prime Minister, regardless of who dreams of whom, when one is to be Zhuang Zhou, one must earnestly embody Zhuang Zhou; when one is to be a butterfly, one must joyfully be a butterfly. Why concern yourself with so much?" Du Hu shouted unwillingly at Wen Tianxiang, his desolate voice echoing through the valley

"May the Eternal Sky bless the Mongols, turning every place touched by the sun into pastureland," shouted a drunken Mongolian warrior, clinking his leather pouch with his companions and downing the fermented mare's milk inside. He casually grabbed a girl whose clothes were tattered and, with his mouth full of yellowed teeth, bit into her.

In any case, everything he did had nothing to do with the Song Dynasty or the scholars, nor did it concern the common people of Jiangnan. He was merely the golden spear Huang Tianba on the stage, sometimes portrayed as a paragon of loyalty and righteousness by literati, and at other times as a traitor and national scoundrel. In any case, he is already dead, and his merits and faults will be judged by future generations

In recent days, Wen Tianxiang has been continuously drawing, sketching those peculiar weapon blueprints. He has been writing, documenting his training experiences after taking up arms and growing from a scholar to a soldier in the Eighth Route Army. He has been engaged in combat, battling with himself, sometimes as Wen Zhong, refuting the decay within Wen Tianxiang's heart. At other times, as Wen Tianxiang, he counters Wen Zhong's rebellion

However, in my memory, those revolutionary theories, military theories, and knowledge of weaponry are equally clear, occasionally surfacing and intertwining with the sayings of Confucius and the verses of poetry

If he were still the Wen Tianxiang of old, he would know that he would persist in resistance until the end of his life

That was an old dream on the Three Lives Stone. In the dream, Wen Tianxiang found himself returning to his youth, having taken on a new name, Wen Zhong, dressed in peculiar clothing, and living in a strange country. There, it was poorer than the Great Song and as weak as the Great Song. When foreign enemies invaded, the government, in a state of confusion, lost three fertile regions in the northeast, with hundreds of thousands of troops offering no resistance.

As they gazed at the dazed Prime Minister Wen, the hearts of the generals grew colder. The Right Prime Minister Wen Tianxiang was the only minister advocating for war, daring to confront the Northern Yuan. He was also the banner that united various heroes. Once he is gone, the fate of the Song Dynasty will come to an end.

The tent fell silent in an instant, and even the rhythm of the forest outside could be heard. Contrary to everyone's expectations, Wen Tianxiang seemed to have known this outcome all along. He sighed and extended his hand to help. "You may rise; it is not your fault. At that time, I should not have divided the troops."

However, he cannot distinguish between what is a dream and what is reality. In his memory, the poetry learned in his youth, the sacred texts he has read, and the unfinished manuscripts are all present. Before him, although the generals appear haggard, their temperaments and natures are as clear as day to Wen Tianxiang.

The Right Chancellor of the Northern Yuan, Da Chun, clearly stated in his "Pingnan Strategy" to Kublai Khan, "To eliminate the remnants of the Song Dynasty, one must first eliminate Wen Tianxiang. Once the Wen faction is gone, the pillars of the Great Song will have collapsed, and the rest will be mere ants and insects, not worth worrying about."

Perhaps this is the main reason for the Prime Minister's loss of reason. Poor Lord Wen, perhaps he would be happier if he never awakens. Some despaired individuals discussed. The implication was clear: since there is no hope for recovery, everyone should go their separate ways. Find a secluded mountain temple to settle Lord Wen Tianxiang under an assumed name, allowing him to live out his life in his dreams, rather than one day awakening to witness the fall of the Song Dynasty.

Then, he woke up and found himself being carried by his subordinates to Wuyi Mountain. After that, he went mad

When his false identity was exposed, Zhao Shishang refused to surrender and was killed. It is said that even in death, his eyes were filled with mockery towards his enemies

I should not have divided my troops, Wen Tianxiang repeated softly, his voice filled with infinite regret. The grand counteroffensive in Ganzhou seems to have come to an end just like this. One hundred thousand troops, under the assault of four hundred thousand soldiers from the Yuan Dynasty, withered away like a midnight bloom, having just blossomed before swiftly fading. As recorded in the historical texts of dreams, this was the Song Dynasty's final counterattack against the Yuan Dynasty, grand in scale, yet the outcome resembled the fleeting light of a dying patient.

"It is a pity for Zong Bai, who has sacrificed his life in vain." Some shook their heads and sighed, feeling that the death of the military supervisor Zhao Shichang was not worth it. Zong Bai was Zhao Shichang's courtesy name. He was originally a member of the royal family and joined the army to save the country. In the Battle of Kongkeng, he was captured while impersonating Wen Tianxiang to cover the retreat of his comrades. After being captured by the Yuan army, Zhao Shichang, using the false identity of the Prime Minister of the Song Dynasty, identified many captured heroes of the rivers and lakes as common people caught in the chaos, mocking Li Heng for killing civilians to claim credit. Ashamed, Li Heng was forced to release them, saving many lives. After being captured by the Yuan army, Zhao Shichang, using the false identity of the Prime Minister of the Song Dynasty, identified many captured heroes of the rivers and lakes as common people caught in the chaos, mocking Li Heng for killing civilians to claim credit. Ashamed, Li Heng was forced to release them, saving many lives.

Zhuangzi dreamed of a butterfly, and regardless of the pain and confusion upon waking, at least in the dream, the butterfly is free, able to soar between heaven and earth

Having these eager gazes is already sufficient. As for that absurd history book, is it truly unchangeable? After all, history is written by people

Perhaps Zong Bai's strike was too heavy. Otherwise, let us carry Lord Wen to the court and seek treatment from Lord Chen. The scribe Xiao Zi discussed this with everyone in an extremely uncertain tone. Among the generals, he was the youngest and had always treated Wen Tianxiang with the respect due to one's elders. In his excessive concern, he became flustered and spoke without thinking.

Then, the Jianzhou Jurchens rose again, the Ming dynasty waned, the Ten Days of Yangzhou occurred, and the Three Massacres of Jiading took place. For the following two hundred years, Han people wore long queues at the back of their heads and referred to themselves as servants when meeting others

The Prime Minister's resolve is unwavering; he would never forget his country simply because he lost his family. Du Hu shook his head, dismissing the group's speculation. Ever since his first mission to Mongolia, he had followed Wen Tianxiang closely. He witnessed firsthand the resilience of this scholarly Prime Minister, who, while escaping from the Mongolian camp, faced ambushes from the Mongols and was pursued as a traitor by uninformed Song people. Despite more than ten calamities, Wen Tianxiang did not lose his sanity. Du Hu did not believe that the loss of his wife and children could break such a strong and resolute man.

"Indeed, why should I concern myself with so much?" Wen Tianxiang murmured, as if struck by a sudden realization, and abruptly raised his pale, haggard face.

Standing opposite him, the Hunan envoy Wu Xishi let out a dissatisfied grunt and turned to leave. Seeking Chen Yizhong to treat Wen Tianxiang was nothing short of a pipe dream. The court would not welcome Wen Tianxiang back, even though he had become a useless man. In order to negotiate with the Yuan dynasty, Prime Minister Wen Tianxiang was originally a discarded pawn placed outside by the court. The more decisively the Wen family army fought, the quicker they were betrayed. Hasn't the counteroffensive in the southwestern Jiangnan region made this clear? From beginning to end, the court claimed to have hundreds of thousands of troops, yet not a single bit of support was dispatched.

Zijng, when will you all arrive, and how many troops are left from each faction

Moreover, according to reports from the deserters who fled from the mountainous region, after the battle at Kongkeng, Wen Tianxiang was both alarmed and enraged, having lost his sanity. Currently, the resistance in the western part of Jiangnan is leaderless and has reached the brink of collapse

Was it Wen Tianxiang who dreamed of Wen Zhong, or was it Wen Zhong who dreamed of Wen Tianxiang? Wen Tianxiang could not discern, but the memories in the dream told him that there was a history clearly written: one year after the Battle of K空坑, Wen Tianxiang, the Right Chancellor of the Song Dynasty, was defeated again, and the Song Dynasty was destroyed by the Mongols. Nearly a hundred years later, the sons of the Han family, led by a man named Zhu Yuanzhang, expelled the Tartars.

Wen Tianxiang cannot help but go mad, for that dream is too real, too painful, having surpassed the limits of what he can endure

Having finished, the Chancellor, struck by them in this manner, is bound to go mad. Xiao Mingzhe glared fiercely at Chen Zijing and He Shi, inwardly cursing, "You two fellows, can't you just tell a little lie to appease the patient"

In his dreams, Wenzhong attended a higher education institution similar to the Taixue. Strangely, this institution did not teach the Six Arts, but instead focused on various subjects such as astronomy, geography, natural philosophy, and manufacturing. In the year he turned twenty-four, much like the situation of the Song Dynasty, the Japanese invaders, who had already severed the northeastern territories from the court, launched another assault, invading his homeland. The acts of burning, killing, and plundering they committed were no less than those of the Mongols. In the year he turned twenty-four, much like the situation of the Song Dynasty, the Japanese invaders, who had already severed the northeastern territories from the court, launched another assault, invading his homeland. The acts of burning, killing, and plundering they committed were no less than those of the Mongols.

Is it the butterfly dreaming of Zhuang Zhou, or Zhuang Zhou dreaming of the butterfly? My dear, tell me, tell me, Wen Tianxiang murmured, as if questioning his generals, yet also as if speaking to himself. In front of him and behind him lay piles of hard-earned papers, each page adorned with incomprehensible drawings, marked with winding numbers and straight lines. On some pages, there were also words of great heresy, along with the Prime Minister Wen's annotations and critiques of these statements during his moments of clarity. In front of him and behind him lay piles of hard-earned papers, each page adorned with incomprehensible drawings, marked with winding numbers and straight lines. On some pages, there were also words of great heresy, along with the Prime Minister Wen's annotations and critiques of these statements during his moments of clarity. No one knew what Wen Tianxiang, who was criticizing himself and engaging in self-reflection, was doing, but everyone could see the struggle and pain within him.

I was never mad; I have been listening to their conversations these past few days. Wen Tianxiang cracked his lips, which were covered in blisters, and his murky gaze gradually became clear as he scanned the faces of the crowd pouring into the tent one by one. The assembled generals stood upright, their faces revealing an expression of ecstatic joy.

What, then, is it that Wen Tianxiang desperately defended? Is it merely the dignity and integrity of a scholar? For days on end, Wen Tianxiang sought answers, yet no one could provide him with the correct response

More often than not, he is in anticipation, hoping to be Wen Zhong, dreaming that after awakening from the dream, he can return to Huangya Cave and once again engage in a bloody battle with the enemy alongside his comrades

Ah, as I hurriedly drove my cart across the vast prairie, I saw a flower blooming in the wind. On the blue stone slab by the stream, the crimson fruit exuded a refreshing fragrance. Sister, you must not be greedy and eat it, otherwise you will not be able to enter my felt tent... The Mongolian long tune, passed down through generations on the northern grasslands, sounded in the alleys of the ancient city in the south, appearing so out of place. The illustrious Mongolian warriors dismantled the houses of the southerners, shattered the intricately carved wooden materials, and lit a bonfire. Dancing around the fire, they sang.

In the writings of the traitorous literati under the Wang Jingwei regime, Wen Tianxiang is portrayed as an unworldly fool, a pedant seeking fame and reputation, and a sinner attempting to divide the motherland. Figures such as Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan are depicted as great heroes, despite the fact that they slaughtered sixty million people in the north and destroyed one civilization after another

On a summer night, it was somewhat warm by the campfire. To dispel the humidity from the south, several scouts of the Red Army (non-Mongolian warriors from regions such as Khitan, Tangut, and the Western Regions within the Yuan Dynasty) went out for a round and brought back a pile of easily ignitable, yet not very potent "kindling" to toss into the fire. The campfire instantly surged several feet high, and the statue of the sage along with the bamboo-carved classics crackled and burned in the flames, while in the pitch-black night, the accumulation of a thousand years of civilization transformed into a wisp of smoke.

However, he did not awaken. The pain from biting his fingers several times informed Wen Tianxiang that this moment was the only reality; the so-called Republic of China and Huangyadong were merely a dream

That is not a dream; it is a memory from another world that accidentally got lost, and hetushu.com has drilled into my mind. I do not know how many days have passed, but Wen Tianxiang finally unraveled this mystery relying on the knowledge stored in Wen Zhong's memory. When he raised his head, he happened to hear Du Hu's sharp shout.

Whether it was Wen Tianxiang dreaming of Wen Zhong, or Wen Zhong dreaming of Wen Tianxiang, perhaps there is a deeper meaning behind this encounter that Heaven has bestowed upon me. Wen Tianxiang thought with a smile, as the soldiers before him were still eagerly hoping for him to regroup and restore the former glory of the mountains and rivers.

Is it the butterfly dreaming of Zhuangzi, or Zhuangzi dreaming of the butterfly? Who can tell me, who can tell me? Under the oil lamp, Wen Tianxiang clutched his head in agony, cold sweat rolling down from his pale hair.

"The Prime Minister has awakened," said the Daoist-clad magistrate from Jiangxi, who suddenly darted into the tent. In his excitement, the Daoist robe he had worn for several days while traversing mountains and rivers tore with a sharp sound, splitting in two from his back.

Before his death, Wen Zhong recited a line from a poem that is said to have been written by Wen Tianxiang: "Since ancient times, who has not faced death? Let my loyal heart illuminate the annals of history"

If he were still Wenzhong, he would persist in the resistance, becoming a steadfast and strong communist, liberating the Song Dynasty, liberating the Northern Yuan, and liberating the working masses of the world, dedicating his life to humanity's greatest cause of unemployment

From the perspective of Wenzhong, Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan represent the Mongolian landowning class, and they colluded with the Han landowning class to plunder the working masses of the world

At this, the Chancellor ordered punishment. When did Chen Zijing suddenly kneel down? They received the orders from Wen Tianxiang and each led a group of local militia (the regional forces of the late Song and the anti-Yuan resistance) to attack various places in Jiangxi. Under the assault of Li Heng's troops, the two were defeated in succession. One disguised himself as a monk, and the other as a Taoist priest, fleeing alone. As for their troops, they had long since become sacrifices in Li Heng's record of achievements, leaving not even half a unit.

As night falls, several faint blue will-o'-the-wisps drift in the wind, and in the distance, a low sobbing can be faintly heard, making it difficult to discern whether it is a person weeping or the earth groaning

The smoke was blown by the wind, drifting steadily southward. Gradually, it faded, merging into the dense jungles of the Wuyi Mountains. The night breeze in Wuyi was somewhat cool, and on Baizhang Ridge, the gathered Song military leaders were anxiously discussing and deliberating on the next course of action

Their military achievements are indeed worthy of celebration. Although they were unable to capture Wen Tianxiang as intended, they managed to take the wives, children, and elderly of the soldiers from the Wen faction as captives. With these hostages, they have sufficient means to undermine the morale of Wen Tianxiang's army

This is the current situation of the Song Dynasty, no wonder Wu Xishi feels disheartened. Back in the day, he sacrificed his family for the country, dispersing his vast wealth to support the king, only to receive an empty title of Governor of Hunan in return. With no food, no pay, and no assistance, how can he, as the Governor, lead troops to reclaim Hunan, which has already fallen into the hands of the Northern Yuan? This is not only the case for Wu Xishi's troops; the court is wary of every righteous army that is devoted to the country, even more so than their vigilance against the Tatars. If the court had been willing to send troops to support the Southern Jiangnan Western Front campaign, would the righteous army have suffered such a devastating defeat?

He indignantly took up his pen and joined a sincere army called the Eighth Route Army, which was dedicated to resisting invasion. In a cave, he utilized his knowledge to help the Eighth Route Army create many innovative weapons alongside his comrades. On November 11, 1941, the Japanese invaders, comprising the 36th Division and the 4th and 6th Mixed Brigades, totaling over 7,000 troops, attacked that cave, and the concealed location where he was situated was lost.