The light of the sword is like the moon reflecting on Kyushu

Zhao Guangyi and Lin Yongpeng strolled along the mountain path, looking down at Jinyang City several miles away. In stark contrast to the darkness on the mountain, the city was ablaze with lights, like stars scattered across the earth, echoing the brilliant stars in the sky. The world was exceptionally peaceful.

Zhao Guangyi said, "I was quite well prepared this time, so why did I suffer such a crushing defeat?"

Lin Yongpeng said, "I believe the main reason for this failure to capture the city was the information asymmetry! Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated; know yourself but not your enemy, and you will win one and lose one; know neither yourself nor your enemy, and you will never be victorious! This time, we knew ourselves but not our enemy! We never expected that the other side would have such powerful weapons as the triple crossbow and ballistae, which caught us completely off guard!"

Zhao Guangyi asked, "Then how do we defeat it?"

Lin Yongpeng said, "The Han army's current strengths are nothing more than its advanced weaponry and the support of cavalry. Therefore, if we want to conquer Jinyang, we must eliminate Jinyang's two major supporters!"

Zhao Guangyi said, "Tell me the specific methods."

Lin Yongpeng said, "First, send martial arts experts to infiltrate the city, or contact an inside agent in the county government to find the armory. Use any means necessary, such as arson or poisoning, to kill the artisans and destroy the facilities, rendering them incapable of fighting! Second, send someone to poison the stables of the Liaoxia cavalry camp, causing their warhorses to either die or be injured, thus rendering them unable to fight!"

Zhao Guangyi frowned and said, "The method is good, but the difficulty lies in how to break through the heavily guarded checkpoints and sneak in, and how to approach the destination undetected. It's quite difficult!"

Lin Yongpeng said, "We'll have to rely on Lord Wei for this!"

Zhao Guangyi remained calm and asked, "Is he capable? If he were, why did the Song army suffer such a crushing defeat?"

Lin Yongpeng said, "The real variable this time lies with Liu Miezhou! If it weren't for Liu Miezhou's appearance, the Han army would have been nothing but a rabble, and Jinyang City could have been taken in less than a day! Who would have thought that Liu Miezhou would force Liu Jiyuan to abdicate and become emperor himself ahead of time, and that he would even have a lot of blueprints for the production of powerful weapons? That was the fatal surprise!"

Zhao Guangyi said, "As far as the Imperial City Guard is concerned, there should be no accidents in the world! How could Lord Wei know nothing about such a big thing, and then absolve himself of responsibility with just a word like 'accident'? Perhaps..." A murderous glint flashed in his eyes, "...perhaps he did it on purpose!"

Lin Yongpeng immediately said, "Impossible! Based on my understanding of him, Prince Wei is utterly loyal to the Emperor and would never dare to harbor any disloyalty!"

Zhao Guangyi said, "Yongpeng, I know that you and Jiuxiao have a good relationship. Tell me the truth, what are your thoughts on the matter of Yunu?"

Lin Yongpeng sighed inwardly; what's meant to happen will happen!

This deadly test only confirms an age-old truth: no matter who the emperor is, no matter what his personality was before, once he sits on the dragon throne and holds the power of the entire dynasty, he will become sensitive and suspicious, and will not absolutely trust anyone!
Lin Yongpeng said, "Your Majesty, that is your private matter, and I have no right to comment."

Zhao Guangyi laughed and said, "Even the famous mad general has his moments of cunning. Whether you have the power or not is not important. What is important is that I want to know your true opinion. I now grant you the right to express your opinion, and I hereby promise that those who speak out will not be punished. May you speak now?"

Now that things have come to this point, if Lin Yongpeng continues to refuse, it will be considered disobeying the imperial decree!
He immediately said in a deep voice, "I believe that food and sex are human nature. Your Majesty is a normal man and Yu Nu is a beautiful woman. If something happens between the two of them, it is actually quite normal."

Zhao Guangyi didn't speak; he knew Lin Yongpeng hadn't finished.

“But there’s a small flaw.” Lin Yongpeng said, glancing at Zhao Guangyi.

Zhao Guangyi laughed and said, "I have already said that those who speak out are not guilty!"

"Yu Nu is, after all, someone else's wife. The Emperor's fondness for other men's wives is exactly the same as Cao Mengde's. If a similar outcome to the Battle of Wancheng were to occur again in the future, it would be unacceptable!"

Cao Cao's act of forcibly taking Zou Shi, Zhang Xiu's widowed aunt, during the Battle of Wancheng directly led to the following serious consequences:

Consequence 1: Key personnel were killed in action!
Death in action 1: The heir has fallen in battle!

Cao Cao's eldest son, Cao Ang, gave his own warhorse to his father to cover Cao Cao's breakout, and was killed by the chaotic army while fighting on foot!
Second type of casualty: Loss of family generals
Cao Cao's nephew, Cao Anmin, died in battle while protecting Cao Cao during his retreat!
Three casualties: A valiant general falls.
General Dian Wei died after sustaining dozens of wounds while defending the camp gate to block Zhang Xiu's army!

Consequence 2: Dramatic changes in family and power structures

Tumultuous Change 1: Succession Crisis

As the eldest son of the legitimate wife, Cao Ang was the legal heir. His death led to the struggle for succession between Cao Pi and Cao Zhi, sowing the seeds of turmoil in the later period of Cao Wei!

Dramatic Change Two: Marriage Breaks Down
Cao Cao's legal wife, Lady Ding, broke with him after the death of her adopted son, Cao Ang, and angrily returned to her parents' home, never to see him again!

Consequence 3: Strategic deployment hindered
Obstacle 1: Jingzhou campaign delayed

Cao Cao originally planned to use Wancheng as a springboard to launch a southern campaign against Liu Biao, but due to a disastrous defeat, he was forced to retreat to Xuchang, which delayed the unification process!

Obstacle 2: Allied counterattack
Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao re-allyed, posing a long-term threat to Cao Cao's southern border!

In conclusion, this battle is regarded by later generations as a case in which Cao Cao paid the most painful price for his personal desires.

A single affair led to the death of the heir, the loss of all his confidants, a strategic setback, and even indirectly altered the power structure of the Three Kingdoms!

In short: It's not worth it!
Zhao Guangyi remained silent for a long time, seemingly pondering the Battle of Wancheng!
He remained silent, as did Lin Yongpeng. They were waiting for Zhao Guangyi to make his stance clear.

Finally, Zhao Guangyi spoke, saying, "I know I was wrong! My momentary impulse has cost me so much! But now that it has happened and Yu Nu has disappeared, tell me, is it a fight to the death between me and Liu Miezhou?"

What? Yu Nu has disappeared? Well, you were the one who sent people to handle it, but you're saying she's disappeared!
Lin Yongpeng thought to himself: Anyway, there's no way to verify it now that the dead are dead, so say whatever you want!

He said solemnly, "Putting aside personal grudges, now that our Great Song Dynasty is conquering the false Han, Liu Miezhou has openly led his people in rebellion. If he does not kneel down and surrender, he will have no choice but to be executed!"

Zhao Guangyi asked, "What's your relationship with him like?"

"I have always served in the army and am not familiar with him!" Lin Yongpeng's words were not untrue! He only knew Liu Miezhou, and the two were not really on friendly terms.
Zhao Guangyi said, "Since that's the case, I'm relieved! Go and discuss with Minister Wei how to implement the plan to raid the family!"

Lin Yongpeng replied, "Yes, Your Majesty!"

Star bright.

The city of Jinyang was incredibly bustling under the night sky. It was the capital of the Northern Han Dynasty, densely populated and commercially thriving. Jinyang was established relatively early. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Zhao Jianzi, a high-ranking official of the State of Jin, ordered his retainer Dong Anyu to build a city on the north bank of the Jin River. It was named Jinyang because "north of the river is called Yang" (阳).

It was originally a military fortress, with walls four zhang high and a circumference of four li.

The famous division of Jin into three states occurred here. Zhao Xiangzi defended Jinyang against the combined forces of the Zhi, Han, and Wei states for three years, ultimately uniting with Han and Wei to destroy the Zhi clan and laying the foundation for the Warring States period's seven powerful states. Before Zhao Xianhou moved the capital to Zhongmu, Jinyang served as the initial capital of Zhao for over fifty years!

From the Qin and Han dynasties to the Northern Dynasties, it was always the center of military and political affairs.

During the Qin Dynasty, Taiyuan Commandery was established, with Jinyang as its capital. During the Western Han Dynasty, it also served as the capital of Bingzhou, forming a dual-government system. When Emperor Wen of Han, Liu Heng, was the Prince of Dai, he resided in Jinyang, laying the foundation for his ascension to the throne.

During the Eastern Wei Dynasty, Gao Huan built the Grand Chancellor's Mansion in Jinyang, remotely controlling the government. During the Northern Qi Dynasty, Jinyang was used as a secondary capital, with its actual status surpassing that of the national capital, Yecheng. Four emperors ascended the throne here. The expansion of Jinyang Palace, Daming City, and the "Twelve Courtyards" made it a hub for the integration of Xianbei and Han cultures and the spread of Buddhism. Famous evidence of this is the Tianlongshan Grottoes and the Mengshan Giant Buddha.

The Sui and Tang dynasties reached their zenith during the golden age of China. Emperor Yang of Sui built the new city of Cangcheng, forming a "品" (pin) shaped layout with the old city. Li Yuan and his son raised an army in Jinyang to establish the Tang dynasty. In the first year of the Changshou era, Empress Wu Zetian elevated Jinyang to the status of "Northern Capital," making it one of the "Three Capitals of the Tang Dynasty," along with Chang'an and Luoyang. The city walls were expanded to 42 li (approximately 20 kilometers), spanning the Fen River and connecting the east and west cities. With a population exceeding one million, it became the economic and cultural center of northern China.

During the Five Dynasties period, the Later Tang Dynasty established Xijing (modern-day Xi'an), and the Later Jin Dynasty renamed it BJ (modern-day Beijing). The Northern Han Dynasty also made it its capital.

Standing atop the highest point of Erlong Mountain, Wei Qiansui gazed upon Jinyang City with deep emotion.

The population of Jinyang has reached one million!

Such a wealthy and prosperous place actually appeared in the north!
No wonder the Khitans fought so hard to protect the Northern Han!
At this moment, inside the Liao Dynasty palace, Empress Dowager Xiao was awakened by an urgent message sent by carrier pigeon!
This is the latest intelligence report from Jinyang City's spies, top-level!
In fact, she had known all along that the Song Dynasty was going to attack the Northern Han, and she had already tacitly approved Yelü Xiezhen's support for the Northern Han! Even if Feng Jiuxiao asked, she would have something to say. After all, Yelü Xiezhen was already in Jinyang City, and he wasn't sent by the Liao Dynasty specifically to provide reinforcements.

Whether Feng Jiuxiao believed it or not, she insisted on saying it anyway.

She only promised not to attack the Song Dynasty during her lifetime, but she never said that she would not retaliate if the Song Dynasty attacked the Khitan!

The Northern Han dynasty considers itself a puppet emperor and regards the Khitan as its father. How could the Khitan possibly stand by and watch us perish? If they do not come to our aid, wouldn't the Jurchen, Bohai, Shiwei, Tatar, and Wugu tribes be disheartened? Disheartened is a small matter; rebellious thoughts are a much bigger one! Therefore, those who offend the Northern Han will be punished without hesitation, even if the Heavenly King himself were to come!
In her mind, Zhao Guangyi would be like his brother, unable to conquer the city after a long siege, and would have no choice but to retreat in disappointment!
But when Empress Dowager Xiao looked at the words on it, her expression changed!
"Summon all generals in the capital to an audience immediately!"

"Yes!"

"Princess Xuan Shengnan requests an audience!"

"Yes!"

Half an hour later, all the generals arrived at the main hall one after another, some of them looking very uncomfortable!
This woman called everyone over in the middle of the night, was she doing it on purpose?
Xiao Shengnan stood beside Xiao Chuo, dressed in a mink coat with a curved sword at her waist, exuding a heroic aura!

Empress Dowager Xiao said, "Is everyone here? I won't wait any longer. Here is an urgent military dispatch. Generals, please take a look!" She instructed the eunuch to pass it around among the generals.

Is the Northern Han Dynasty in dire straits?
The military officers who saw the text were all taken aback!
Han Derang, whose Khitan name was Yelü Longyun, said at this moment: "Your Majesty, we knew long ago that the Song Dynasty was attacking the Northern Han. Wasn't Yelü Xiezhen already there to provide support? Could something have happened?" In his opinion, no matter how powerful the Song army's Luoyang Tigers were, they were no match for the Liao Iron Forest Army. He wondered why the Empress Dowager was in such a hurry.
Xiao Chuo said, "That's right! Intelligence says that the Song army is now equipped not only with the famous triple-bow crossbow, but also with musket battalions and armor-piercing troops. Their offensive is extremely fierce, and they have even breached the city gates!"

Yelü Longyun was shocked. "What? The city gates have been breached?"

Empress Dowager Xiao said, "Literally, the city gates have been breached, but the city itself remains!"

"The city is still there? No way, the city gates are breached, how could the city still be defended?"

"It's written very clearly above! The city gate was indeed blown open by the Song army, but the Song army suffered heavy casualties and had no choice but to retreat!"

"Since the Song army has retreated, why is there still an urgent appeal?"

"Because the Han army is already at its last gasp!"

“I think it differently! Since the Song army has been defeated, it means they have suffered considerable losses. Aren’t they exhausted? Perhaps a Han attack at this time could be surprisingly effective!”

"They did launch a counterattack, but it failed! The Song army had mastered gunpowder to perfection, inflicting heavy losses on the Han army, forcing them to abandon their pursuit! So, on the surface, both sides were already exhausted and unable to fight any longer!"

"Since neither side is able to fight anymore, it should be advantageous for the Han army! The Song army has been on a long and arduous campaign, and the soldiers are exhausted. Their supply lines are too long, and the risk of supply disruption is quite high. The Han army, on the other hand, is well-rested and has the advantage of terrain. I think they are unlikely to have any problems!"

Empress Dowager Xiao said, "No matter what, we must prepare for the worst, just in case!" She glanced back at Xiao Shengnan, then looked around and said solemnly, "From tonight onwards, Shengnan will exercise the power of the Liao Emperor until Yelü Longxu turns sixteen!"

Yelü Longyun was taken aback, thinking to himself: Yelü Longxu is twelve years old this year, which means that the power will be returned to him in four years. Four years is neither long nor short, which is acceptable.

To him, Yelü Longxu and Xiao Shengnan were the same, and had no blood relation to him whatsoever! Yelü Longxu was the son of Xiao Chuo and Emperor Jingzong Yelü Xian, and Xiao Shengnan was the daughter of Xiao Chuo's younger brother, Wei Yin. Both were of the Xiao family bloodline. One was a son, and the other was a nephew. Weren't her son and nephew his own son and nephew?
The other generals, Yelü Shanbu, Yelü Xidi, and Yelü Honggu, frowned slightly. They knew this matter would be announced sooner or later, but they didn't expect it to be announced tonight! It seems that the royal family will be suppressed by the empress's family for at least another four years! Of course, when Yelü Longxu regains power in four years, he will be sixteen years old. Empress Xiao will no longer be so kind as to rule from behind the curtain, will she?
Xiao Jixian, Xiao Guanyinnu, Xiao Hulian, and others were secretly delighted! Xiao Jixian was Empress Xiao's cousin and the military governor of Liaoxing Army, responsible for the defense of Liaodong; Xiao Guanyinnu was the supervising officer; and Xiao Hulian was Empress Xiao's elder sister and also a royal consort, a renowned female general. All three were members of the Xiao clan and naturally welcomed this development!

While the other generals were still preoccupied with their own thoughts, Yelü Longyun bowed and said, "Greetings to Empress Shengnu! Long live the Empress!"

What?! All the generals were shocked! Commander Yelü Longyun had actually taken the lead in acknowledging Xiao Shengnan's status as Empress?
Yelü Longyun held a special position as the Empress Dowager's current husband, so he naturally did not need to kneel down to pay his respects. However, the other generals did not receive this special treatment and all knelt down!

In an instant, a large group of military officers knelt down. Even Xiao Shengnan, who was usually fearless, was slightly flustered at this moment!

Who are these people kneeling down? They are the brave and invincible warriors of the Great Liao Kingdom, veterans who have fought countless battles and faced death many times! Each of them exudes a murderous aura and is awe-inspiring! They have always only respected the strong!
Looking at her aunt's domineering profile, Xiao Shengnan knew that these arrogant men were not truly kneeling before her, but before her aunt!

But so what?
Xiao Shengnan said, "Generals, please rise. From this moment on, I am the Emperor of the Great Liao. I hope you will all give me your full support. From now on, the emperor and his subjects will be of one mind and work together to govern the country!"

She stood proudly with her hands behind her back, showing no sign of panic at being suddenly "proclaimed empress." On the contrary, she was extremely calm and composed, almost instantly embracing the role as if she had always been the empress of the Liao Dynasty! At least she appeared very composed, calm, and domineering, a veritable young version of Empress Xiao!

Yelü Longyun thought to himself: No wonder they are aunt and niece, their proud little eyes are truly inherited from each other!
The generals replied in unison, "Yes!"

Since I can't stop it, I'll just let nature take its course! Everyone should respect her status as Empress! It's only four years, after all; I can endure it!
Xiao Chuo simply smiled as she looked at Xiao Shengnan!
The tomboy from back then has finally grown up!
The Xiao family has at least four more years to prepare!
Four years later, Yelü Longxu ascended the throne and naturally took care of his maternal clan. In addition, during Sheng Nan's four-year reign, the Xiao family could consolidate their power, strengthen and expand their family influence. With these two measures, the Xiao family could rest easy for decades to come!

Xiao Shengnan said, "Generals, please share your thoughts on how to rescue the Northern Han." (End of Chapter)