The gods began by supporting Guo Jing to become emperor

Chapter 206: Meng Gong goes north, the Jin people break the agreement

Xiangyang City.

As time went by, this place once again became the front line against the Jin army. The general guarding here was Meng Zongzhen, a general of the Song State. He stood on the city wall, looking to the north, his thoughts suddenly drawn far away.

When he was young, he followed his father to fight against the Jin army and moved to Zaoyang, Suizhou.
In the second year of Kaixi (1206), the powerful prime minister Han Tuozhou launched the Kaixi Northern Expedition. Meng Zongzheng was appointed as the magistrate of Zaoyang County, and later served as the commander of Jingxi Road and stationed in Xiangyang. When the Jin general Wanyan Dong invaded Xiangying, he led his troops to conduct guerrilla warfare in dangerous places and seized their baggage.

Later, the Jin army attacked Xiangyang and besieged Zaoyang. He, Hu Zaixing, Chen Xiang and others led the army to defeat the Jin army successively, and then rescued Zaoyang. For his merits, he was concurrently appointed as the Jiedushi of Zaoyang Army.

A few years later, the Jin army marched southwards. Wanyan Saibu, the marshal of the Jin army, led tens of thousands of people to attack Zaoyang. He held Zaoyang for three months, and the Jin army had no choice but to retreat.

He did hold the city, but the Song Dynasty, with its navy and the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, could not defend against the Jin army. The Huainan defense line collapsed, and Jiangnan was seized by the Jin army. Later, the Jin army attacked Zaoyang again, but was defeated by him.

It was a pity that he had few soldiers and generals, and could only barely hold the important city of Zaoyang, unable to recapture Jiangnan. After the Song Dynasty moved its capital, he was promoted to the Defense Envoy of Jinghu and General of the Left Wuwei Guard, and moved to Xiangyang, where it has been three years.

During these three years, Jin and Song lived in peace, but Meng Zong Zheng never relaxed his mind. The two factions in the Song Dynasty quarreled endlessly, the crown prince died young, and many factions fought openly and secretly for the position of crown prince.

However, officials paid little attention to the Jin people. Not long ago, civil unrest broke out in the western part of Jiangnan. The court sent a large army to suppress it but was defeated by the refugees. The rebellion was gradually expanding.

Times are tough!
At this time, a young general who was patrolling with soldiers saw Meng Zongzheng and hurried over, "Dad, the wind is strong on the top of the city, you should go and rest first, I'm here."

Meng Zongzheng placed one hand on the city wall and sighed, "Gong'er, this year's military supplies haven't arrived yet?"

The young man's name is Meng Gong. He is his fourth son and the captain of the army, responsible for transporting supplies. He is wearing black armor and has a pale complexion. His expression is a little gloomy. "It hasn't arrived yet. It says that the supplies are given priority to the army suppressing the rebellion in the south. Our troops will arrive three months later."

"Three months..." Meng Zongzheng took off his helmet. His temples were white, his eyes were full of wrinkles, and his old eyes were full of sorrow. "Time is running out."

The young Meng Gong had not been tempered yet, and was not a famous general who participated in the destruction of the Jin Dynasty. Hearing this, he was puzzled and said, "Dad, it's only three months late, it shouldn't be a big deal, right?"

Meng Zongzheng glanced at the soldiers beside him and said calmly, "You retreat first. No one is allowed within a hundred steps."

"As ordered!"

When the soldiers retreated, Meng Zongzheng pointed to the direction of the Jin people in the north and said, "Gong'er, according to your father's guess, the Jin people will attack us next year."

Meng Gong's face froze, and he looked surprised. "It's only been two years since the alliance was signed. How dare they tear up the alliance so quickly?"

Meng Zongzheng's gray hair fluttered in the wind, giving people a sense of vicissitudes. "If it were before, we had the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, the Jin people would not dare to do this. Unfortunately, the natural barrier of the Yangtze River has fallen into the hands of the enemy. There are no heavy troops in Jinghu. There are only 20,000 in Xiangyang. The Jin people occupy Huaidi, plus Jiangnan, which is enough for them to recover in two years."

"Moreover, the south does not have strong city walls and passes like the north. If Lord Yue had not ordered people to supervise the construction of Xiangyang, it would not be what it is today. I am confident that I can defend Xiangyang, but there are many strategic points in the Jinghu area, and others may not be able to defend it."

"Once the Jin soldiers march south, it will be difficult to defend Jinghu. What I am most worried about now is not the Jinghu defense line, but the imperial court."

Meng Gong stared at his father's vicissitudes of life, and his heart seemed to be blocked by something. He said angrily, "Father, we warriors have been suppressed since the time of Emperor Taizong. Talented people like Di Qing and Prince Yue also came to an end. If the Jin army really breaks the alliance, we can only sacrifice our lives for the country."

"No, Gong'er. Your father once said that you are the most talented leader among all my sons. The Song Dynasty is already on the decline. Everyone in the government and the country is afraid of the Jin. They only know how to bribe the Jin people, but forget about their greed and cruelty."

"You don't have to stay in Xiangyang. Take your brothers with you and leave after a while."

"Father, where do you want me to go?" Meng Gong was stunned and stared at him blankly.

Meng Zongzheng turned around, stared at his fourth son with burning eyes, and said firmly, "Go to Luoyang and seek refuge with Han Hou Guo Jing. He is the overlord of the north and will destroy the Jin people sooner or later. Only in his hands can we warriors be put to important use. Although my Meng family has been blessed by the emperor for generations, and soldiers should die for their country, my Meng family cannot be extinct. Do you understand?"

"Father, you..." The young Meng Gong was stunned. He didn't expect that his father would make such an arrangement.

"Don't be anxious, listen to what your father has to say." Meng Zongzheng knew what he meant, patted his shoulder and continued, "My Meng family's ancestor was a general who followed Prince Yue to start an uprising, but Prince Yue was unjustly killed, and we generals were demoted. If the Jin people hadn't marched south, your father would not have been reused."

"Originally, I thought that the Jin people's southward advance would wake up the Song Dynasty and force the officials in the court to rebuild their military and recover the country, but..." When he said this, his tone was full of regret.

"The incompetent ruler and incompetent ministers are willing to make peace with the Jin people. They have no backbone and blood. Such a court is not worth our whole family working for. Just wait and see. When the Jin people march south, there will definitely be a lot of Song troops surrendering to the Jin in Jinghu."

"If the superiors do what their superiors do, the subordinates will follow suit. If even the court is like this, how can they only expect us military men to shed blood for them?" When saying this, there was a hint of murderous intent in Meng Zongzhen's eyes.

The Song Dynasty’s current status is not due to the Imperial Guards. This is a problem that is inherent in the Song Dynasty and cannot be changed at all.

At this moment, Meng Gong felt very heavy in his heart and nodded with difficulty, "Father, I understand."

"It's good that you understand. In a few days, your father will arrange for you to go north. By then, everything will depend on you. Your father will defend Xiangyang until his death, but my Meng family will not perish, and my Han family will not decline!"

In just a few short sentences, Meng Gong suddenly grew up, and the responsibility on his shoulders pushed him forward slowly.

Such scenes not only appeared in Xiangyang, but throughout the south, from Jiangnan to Nanchang Prefecture. All knowledgeable people knew the Jin people's plot, but the officials in the court just kept their heads down and acted like ostriches, deceiving themselves and others. Emperor Zhao only knew how to cultivate immortality and discuss Taoism, and ignored government affairs. You can never wake up a person who pretends to be asleep, and this is probably the situation now.

Since the Jin-Song alliance was renewed, a trend of southerners moving north has formed. The government checkpoints can stop the lower-class people, but cannot stop the officials and literati. The loss of talent and the dispersion of elites will not be seen in the short term, but the impact it brings is huge.

……

In a tavern in Xiangyang City, the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan reunited, but a dispute broke out among them.

Han Baoju scratched his ears and cheeks, his voice was very hot, "Brother, why are we still staying here? Look at the court, what they are doing!" After so many years, his personality is still so impatient.

Ke Zhen'e sat on a chair, his face gloomy, his hair turning gray, and he snorted coldly, "Humph, we are not here to help the court, how can the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan sit back and watch the Golden Dog wreak havoc?" Han Baoju continued, "The court has even cut the army's baggage, and winter is almost here, but the soldiers don't even have winter clothes. How can they survive? They are all strong men."

"Even if we can save them, we can only save a few people. We still have to rely on the government's troops to defend the city. But look at what they have done. I am not afraid of death, but I really can't stand such a court. Damn it, if it were more than ten years ago, I would have rebelled long ago."

Zhu Cong, wearing a scholar's shirt and a three-inch long beard, rarely agreed with Han Baoju's words, "Brother, although what Third Brother said is a bit rough, it is not without reason. Seventh sister's child is only this old and has to run around with us. If the Jin people come again, what should we do if something unexpected happens?"

After hearing this, Han Xiaoying's eyes suddenly turned red, "Third brother, I..." A few years later, Han Xiaoying was already the mother of two children and no longer had the chivalrous demeanor of the past.

Zhu Cong shook his head at her and explained, "Seventh sister, I don't dislike you, but now is different from the past. When the Jin people attacked, we led the people in the village to flee. How many people died? But the court is still like this. Everyone knows that the Jin people are hungry wolves that can never be fed, but they just pretend to be stupid."

"If you stay in the Song Dynasty, you will only continue to suffer disasters!"

At this time, Nan Xiren, who was always taciturn, also advised, "Brother, our strength is too weak. If we want to save people, we can only think of other ways."

Hearing this, Ke Zhenwu also fell silent. He was stubborn, but he was also not immune to advice. "What can you do?"

"Brother, have you forgotten Jing'er? He is so good at fighting the Jin people. With his help, the danger to the Song Dynasty can definitely be resolved."

Humph, what if he saved the Song Dynasty this time? What about next time, and the next time? If the Song Dynasty cannot be strong, can it rely on him forever?" Ke Zhenwu got angry for a rare time, "Don't forget, the Mongols are no less powerful than the Jin people. If Mongolia and the Song Dynasty confront each other one day, how will you let Jing'er deal with it?"

Zhang Asheng nodded innocently, "Brother is right. Although we are Jing'er's masters, he is the Mongolian prince consort after all. He must obey Genghis Khan's orders. We can't force him."

Zhu Cong thought for a moment and said in a deep voice, "Well, in my opinion, we should take the villagers to the north. We can't stay in the south anymore. We should take as many people as we can this time and do our best."

"I think it's okay. It's too dangerous to stay in Xiangyang."

"I agree."

……

So, several people reached a consensus, and Han Xiaoying took Zhang Asheng to persuade the people who lived in the village at that time. A few years ago, when the Jin people crossed the river, the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan fled to Xiangyang with their fellow villagers and settled here.

Now, the war was about to come, and they had to find another way to survive. If they stayed here, these people would definitely be affected by the war. After a few days, Han Xiaoying and her group left Xiangyang with more than 200 villagers and traveled across mountains and rivers to the north.

Such scenes are not only seen in Xiangyang.

……

"Husband, look at the increase in the number of households in the past two months."

Inside the Marquis' Mansion, Huang Rong handed a report to Guo Jing, with joy in her beautiful eyes.

Guo Jing flipped through the report and was in disbelief. "Eight thousand households? That's so many?" He frowned again. "That's not right. Are the people down there cheating? It's not that fast to enroll all the people!"

Huang Rong smiled without saying anything, pointed at the back of the report and said, "Look at the back again."

"Xiangyang, Lin'an, Huzhou... are all prefectures in the south, no wonder..." Seeing the hometowns of these people, Guo Jing suddenly realized.

Guo Jing put down the report and took a sip of tea. "The Jin army has been silent for three years and is finally going to mobilize. We in the north can get the news. There is no reason why the Song Dynasty does not know. When the war starts, countless people will be killed and injured. It is normal for them to flee."

"Rather than letting these people die in the war, it is better to use them for my benefit. Rong'er, I plan to send people to bribe the officials in the south and ask them to open the checkpoints. The Jinghu area is not far from Guanzhong. If I can really attract people to live here, it will be a good thing."

Huang Rong smiled slightly and looked at Guo Jing with admiration, "Husband, do whatever you want. It's not easy for the people to survive. The more you can save, the better."

"It's just that the Jin people are going to use troops. Should we move?"

Guo Jing pondered for a moment, his face solemn, "No, don't move. The Jin army has been sharpening their swords for three years, and their morale is high for the first battle. If we attack rashly, we will suffer heavy losses. Moreover, they have accumulated a large number of troops in Huaibei, so it is not easy to defeat them. Let the Song Dynasty waste time with them first."

"I hope that this time, the rulers and ministers of Song will learn their lesson and not be defeated by the Jin dogs. They can flee south a second time, but it will be difficult for them to flee a third time." His tone sounded meaningful as he said this.

Huang Rong's eyes widened and her lips slightly opened, "Husband, do you mean that the Song Dynasty will lose?"

"Who can predict what will happen in the future? Maybe I will lose, maybe I will win." After saying that, he smiled self-deprecatingly, "Let's go. The winter election will begin in a few days. Many scholars have come from the south. I hope to discover some useful talents."

……

In the spring of 1222, the Jin Dynasty openly tore up its alliance with the Song Dynasty, accused Song Dynasty merchants of spying on military matters in the Jin Dynasty, and brazenly launched a war. In this campaign, the Jin Dynasty emperor Wanyan Honglie once again led the army in person, while the crown prince Wanyan Kang stayed in Jiankang to supervise the country and govern the country.

When the news came out, the court of the Song Dynasty immediately became a mess. Although there were previous signs that the Jin Kingdom was mobilizing supplies and fodder in preparation for military operations, the officials of the Song Dynasty thought that they were going to fight Mongolia and wanted to retake Kaifeng. Unexpectedly, the Jin Kingdom actually tore up the alliance, mobilized an army of 100,000, and attacked Jinghu and other places.

But they did not think about the fact that Guo Jing was stationed in Luoyang and had never been defeated in the war against the Jin people, and Mu Huali was still in his prime, having defeated hundreds of thousands of Jin troops in the Battle of Yehu Ridge ten years ago. Neither of these two people was easy to deal with, so of course they had to pick on the weak one.

When the news of the war reached the Song court, the officials were preparing for war and mobilizing food and supplies to avoid sending envoys to the Jin Kingdom in an attempt to quell the war, but the Jin Kingdom's actions shattered all their fantasies.

Before the envoys left Nanchang City, the Jin people mobilized a large army to besiege the two Huzhou counties and captured several cities in succession.

(End of this chapter)