The gods began by supporting Guo Jing to become emperor

Chapter 189: Jiangning City Falls, Song Dynasty Flees South

On the guillotine at Caishikou, Xu Ding was the first to be taken to the guillotine. His disheveled gray hair, grey prison uniform, old face and dazed eyes all spoke of the miserable state of this Prime Minister, Duke of Shen, and Deputy Marshal of the Left.

He was led by soldiers to the guillotine. He no longer had the dignity he once had. Now he was just an old man about to die.

This was the first time that Guo Jing captured a high-ranking official of the Jin Dynasty like him since he attacked the Jin Dynasty. Therefore, he executed him in public, on the one hand to kill the chicken to scare the monkey, and on the other hand to clear people's hearts.

The Jin Dynasty ruled Guanzhong for nearly a hundred years, and its influence was deep, so severe punishments were needed to eliminate the decadence. At this time, Guo Jing had no time to select, and all the families that were deeply involved and closely connected with the Jin Dynasty government were taken down.

Either the family property is confiscated, or the person is beheaded and demoted to an official slave. To correct a wrong, one must go to extremes, but extremes cannot correct a wrong. Many times, a one-size-fits-all approach is the simplest way to solve a problem.

There may be innocent people among the thousands of people who are about to be beheaded in Caishikou, but they must be sacrificed. Only blood can bring new vitality to this land. Otherwise, even if he takes over this land, he will still be coerced. Only after clearing out the old forces can his people take over and the powerful people in Guanzhong will be convinced.

"Noon has arrived, kill!"

Xu Ding's eyes were cloudy, and he seemed to be awake for a moment. He felt that his death was approaching, so he suddenly raised his head and shouted with all his strength, "Long live the Jin Dynasty!"

The voice echoed in the empty execution platform. The people around were stunned for a moment, and then they began to curse. No matter whose people they were before, from now on, the Jin people should die. With the order of the executioner, the executioner's ghost-back machete fell, and a good head fell to the ground, and blood spurted out.

Next, groups of people were brought up to be beheaded, and blood dyed the ground red like rivers. On that day, the vegetable market was filled with blood. One person after another was beheaded and their corpses were dragged out of the city for burial.

Among the crowd, there was a servant of a wealthy family who saw this scene. He was so frightened that he trembled all over, his face turned pale, and he went back to report to his master.

On weekdays, the wealthy families and the people who were in high positions in the eyes of the people also remained silent.

After Guo Jing entered the city, he did not harm anyone, which was a good thing, representing that he was a law-abiding person. But after entering the city, he cleared out the Jin nobles and cracked down on the powerful, which also represented his iron-blooded hand.

After this incident, they deeply realized what kind of person this Lord Guo was.

……

On the Chang'an city wall, Guo Jing stood on the top of the city wall and looked at the sunset in the distance. Behind him, Lu Guanying bent over and reported, "My Lord, this time when we attacked Tongguan and Chang'an, except for the Xixia vassal army and the surrendered Jin soldiers, our troops lost nearly 20,000."

Hearing this, he sighed quietly, "Twenty thousand, the siege indeed resulted in heavy losses." The twenty thousand Xixia vassal troops were almost wiped out, and there were nearly ten thousand Jin people who surrendered later. All in all, there were nearly fifty thousand casualties this time.

Since he became the commander-in-chief, Guo Jing had never experienced such high casualties. Even if not all of the 50,000 men died, even if the soldiers survived, they would not be able to continue fighting.

For a moment, his heart was filled with mixed feelings. There is always death in war, but when he heard this number, he still felt uncomfortable. A general's success is based on the sacrifices of hundreds of soldiers. He had personally experienced this.

However, even though tens of thousands of people died, it was worth it to take Guanzhong in two months.

As we all know, the longer a war lasts, the greater the consumption. If the Battle of Guanzhong lasts for a long time, he will have to recuperate for several years before launching a war against the Jin Kingdom.

"Order all units to deploy soldiers to clear Guanzhong. You should come up with a specific strategy. The losses in this battle will be considerable. Guanying, the matter of recruiting new soldiers for Guanzhong is now in your hands."

Although Guo Jing delegated some power, he still retained many of the rights he should have. The powerful people could let their sons join the army and become officers, but Guo Jing always controlled the logistics and recruitment rights.

Even if the powerful eroded his power and turned part of the troops into private armies, it would be useless. Once sent to the battlefield, they would be wiped out after a few battles. As long as he controlled the baggage and the right to recruit soldiers, those people would not be able to cause any trouble.

Moreover, Guo Jing's troops have always been the strongest elite in the entire army, especially the cavalry, which has always been firmly in his hands and is led by his confidants. In other words, even if he dies now, no one among his men can replace him. Cavalry and infantry are of different natures, and cavalry cannot have an overwhelming advantage over infantry.

Lu Guanying replied in a deep voice, "I obey your orders!"

He walked slowly along the city wall, "Guanying, it's been almost six years since you followed me north."

"My Lord, it has indeed been almost six years."

Guo Jing looked at the houses lined up in the city behind him and suddenly laughed, "Six years have passed so quickly. You are the only male left in the Lu family. Haven't you ever thought about getting married and continuing the Lu family's bloodline?"

Lu Guanying was silent for a moment, a hint of determination flashed across his dark face, "My lord, as long as the revenge of the Lu family is not taken, I, Lu Guanying, will never marry." The destruction of Lujiazhuang has become a demon in his heart. Although Shi Miyuan is dead, Lu Guanying still holds a grudge against the Zhao Song government.

What a shitty emperor! If it weren’t for his indulgence, how could Shi Miyuan dare to do whatever he wanted?
All along, his target of revenge has been the Song Dynasty and the Zhao Song royal family.

Guo Jing knew what he was thinking, turned around and patted his shoulder, "The day of your revenge is not far away. We will take over Guanzhong and the Three Jins, and soon we will attack the Jin Kingdom. When we attack the Song Dynasty, I will let you be the vanguard!"

"Thank you, my lord!" Lu Guanying bowed, his expression not changing much. In just a few years, the former lord of the Taihu Water Fort, the elegant young man, has transformed into a veteran general on the battlefield. The experience involved is not something that can be told to outsiders.

……

Under Jiangning City.

Wanyan Honglie personally went to the front line with the emperor's dragon flag. As soon as he appeared, the morale of the Jin soldiers was boosted and they attacked the city more vigorously. The Song soldiers on the city walls were miserable and could only try their best to support.

He sat on the high platform and pointed at the city wall in the distance, and said arrogantly, "After so many years, our Great Jin Kingdom has finally crossed the river. Even King Hailing couldn't reach here."

The ministers beside him hurriedly complimented him, "Your Majesty is brave and decisive, and you know the military strength of the Song Dynasty. The fact that our Great Jin Kingdom was able to capture this place is entirely due to your Majesty's good deployment of troops."

Yang Kang, wearing a dragon robe, glanced at the ministers beside him and said in a deep voice, "The Song people are weak. We have already crossed the river, but they are still thinking about seeking peace. This prosperous land in the south of the Yangtze River should belong to our Great Jin Kingdom."

As the emperor's power increased greatly, his status as the prince also rose. He gradually gained deeper into the court and gained control of power.

Shuhu Gaoqi, who had opposed Wanyan Honglie before, also agreed with a shy smile, "Your Highness the Crown Prince is right. In my opinion, it won't be long before the Song official runs away." With the help of several victories, Wanyan Honglie established a very high prestige, quickly consolidated his power, and suppressed the opposition forces in the court. Jiangnan was right in front of him, and even a fool would not withdraw his troops at this time. The north was facing the Mongolian army, how could it compare to the prosperous Jiangnan?
If he had really retreated as he did before, the battle would have been fruitless and the consequences would have been unimaginable. Fortunately, he made the right bet.

On the distant city wall, the Jin soldiers attacked the city desperately, and nearly 100,000 troops surrounded Jiangning City.

The peace-loving faction in the Southern Song Dynasty completely destroyed their hope of driving the Jin people back to the north bank of the Yangtze River. After crossing the river, the Jin people quickly gathered their forces, gathered their strength to capture cities, collect food and fodder, etc.

In contrast, the military orders of the various armies of the Song Dynasty were not unified, and each party passed the buck. There was no chief general who could make the final decision. The completely different orders issued by the pro-war and pro-peace factions caused chaos at the bottom of the army, and the army was defeated one by one by the Jin soldiers who had superior military strength.

In the past, the Southern Song Dynasty used its navy and the dangers of the Yangtze River to keep the Jin army firmly on the north bank of the Yangtze and Huaihe River. But after crossing the river, the Song army's weakness in field combat was completely exposed. The south of the Yangtze River did not have high city walls like the north.

Without the support of a solid city, the Song army was no match for the Jin soldiers. They were defeated on all fronts and could only watch as the Jin soldiers plundered and ravaged the south of the Yangtze River, foraging for food and fodder to support the war.

At present, Jiangning has become an isolated city, and its fall is only a matter of time.

However, just as the Jin Dynasty's rulers and ministers were making plans on the battlefield, a war report from the north was delivered to Wanyan Honglie. After receiving the report, he glanced at it, his pupils trembled instantly, and then he accepted it calmly without saying anything.

Most people didn't notice this, but Shuhu Gaoqi, who had always been cautious, and Wanyan Saibu, who had been stripped of his military power, took it to heart.

Next, Wanyan Honglie's attention was no longer on the battlefield in front of him. After nightfall, the army sounded the retreat. Wanyan Honglie returned to the emperor's headquarters and ordered his personal soldiers to guard it strictly. As soon as he walked into the military tent, his face changed instantly.

Chang'an fell and Guanzhong was lost!

Even though Wanyan Honglie was mentally prepared, he was still shocked when he heard the news. Guanzhong is a land with many barriers on all sides, and Guo Jing was able to take it in just two months.

But now most of the Jin Dynasty's military forces have been withdrawn to the south, and they are unable to interfere in the war in the north. They can only watch him sweep across Guanzhong, which is very different from what he imagined.

He regarded Guanzhong and the North as his pawns at any time, but he hoped that these pawns could hold back Guo Jing and others for a long time. In this way, after taking over Jiangnan, he would have time to recuperate.

This is a typical case of trading space for time. If he had gone according to his plan and relied on the power of Jiangnan, the Jin Kingdom might have been able to continue to maintain its regime.

For the Jin Kingdom, as long as the battle of Guanzhong lasts long enough, even if Guo Jing finally takes Guanzhong, it will only be a Guanzhong where people's livelihood is declining, and it will be difficult to transform territory into strength in a short period of time.

"such a pity."

Under the light, Wanyan Honglie felt that the battle report in front of him was extremely dazzling, and even the joy of crossing the river disappeared without a trace.

A few days later, the Jin army captured Jiangning, also known as Jiankang City, at the cost of casualties. After entering the city, Wanyan Honglie promised that the Jin army would not stop fighting after the city was captured in order to reward the army.

It was precisely because of such motivation that the Jin army was able to capture Jiangning despite the pressure of siege. Tens of thousands of Jin soldiers entered the city and killed for three days and three nights. Whether they were high-ranking officials or ordinary people, they were all slaughtered.

In just three days, the city was filled with blood, with hundreds of thousands of corpses lying on the ground. The Qinhuai River also turned blood red. After that, people in the city did not eat fish for several years.

Soon after Jiangning City was captured, the news of the great defeat in Guanzhong could no longer be concealed. All the high-ranking officials in the court knew about it, and for a time, undercurrents surged among the top leaders of the Jin army.

……

At the same time, the Song Dynasty court was in an uproar.

"Negotiation, is this what you want? The Jin thieves are delaying our progress in the name of peace negotiation. If we take Jiangning in one fell swoop, we will no longer be rootless duckweed. How can we drive the Jin people back?"

"Humph, what's the point of saying this now? The morale of the Jin army is high, while the various armies of our Song Dynasty have been defeated and are waiting for a rest. The imperial army is more than enough to defend the city, but not enough to defeat the enemy. From Jiangning to Lin'an, along the waterway, it can be taken in a few days. This is the most urgent task."

The pro-war and pro-peace factions quarreled endlessly, trying to put the blame for the fall of Jiangning on the other side.

Zhao Kuo, the emperor of the Song Dynasty, sat on the dragon throne and listened attentively, as if he was watching a play.

After a long time, both sides were exhausted from arguing, but they also confirmed one thing: the Jin army could not be driven away, and the capital had to be moved!
The Song Dynasty today is just like the Liang Kingdom during the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Hou Jing's rebellion is enough to severely damage the vitality of the south of the Yangtze River. Even if the Song Dynasty still has hundreds of thousands of imperial guards, who in the court is not clear about the combat effectiveness of those imperial guards?
If they didn't run away quickly, the shame of Jingkang would probably happen again. They didn't want to be prisoners of the Jin people.

As a result, the pro-war and pro-peace factions quickly reached a consensus and decided to move the capital. After some arguing, Nanchang Prefecture in Jiangnan West Road became the first choice for moving the capital. This is the Nanchang, Jiangxi in later generations.

In other words, the Song Dynasty directly withdrew from the two lakes and planned to turn it into a front line against the Jin people, and the Jiangnan Road where Lin'an was located was also abandoned.

There is no way. Once the Yangtze River is breached, it means that there is no strategic location to defend around Lin'an. Back then, Wanyan Gou did not even dare to stay in Jiangning and retreated to Lin'an. It is not unacceptable for his descendants to follow the example of their predecessors and retreat to Nanchang Prefecture.

The shame of Jingkang, just once is enough!

……

The situation in the world changed dramatically during this year. Before the end of the year, Guo Jing captured Chang'an. The remaining Jin forces in Guanzhong were no longer able to resist, and it was only a matter of time before they took over this place.

In the north, after a year of conscription, Mu Huali gained a large number of northern Han local warlords who surrendered to him. The number of troops under his command expanded rapidly, and he already had the strength to march south.

The most important battlefield was in the south. Wanyan Honglie personally led the army to capture Nanning. The Southern Song court fled. The relocation of the capital was already on the table, and any knowledgeable person could predict it.

Under the general trend, the focus of the Jin people will shift from the north to the south, and the conflict between Jin and Song will further expand and become a life-and-death contest.

On the grassland, Genghis Khan marched to the Western Regions, attacked Khwarezm, and the Mongolian cavalry entered Central Asia. In the future, his footsteps will continue to be dragged in the Western Regions, and it will be difficult to turn back within several years.

(End of this chapter)