The gods began by supporting Guo Jing to become emperor

Chapter 237 I am not Zhao Kuo from the south, the Emperor of Song is critically ill
In the Taiji Hall, Guo Jing sat on the throne, and the cold eyes under the crown made people feel a heavy pressure.

"The Song dynasty was incompetent, with its civil officials and military officials lax, which led to the decline of the country and the suffering of the people. They couldn't even protect the foundation of their ancestors. Under my rule, there are people who are connected with them. Could it be that they want to imitate the story of the aristocratic families and bet on both sides?"

"Your Majesty, calm down!"

In the palace, those officials who came from the southern noble families immediately lowered their heads, their legs trembling. On the contrary, those old officials from the north who had always followed Guo Jing ignored them and watched coldly.

In fact, he couldn't help sneering in his heart. These southerners were originally the grace of the king. Entering the court as officials could be said to have snatched their plates. They probably had been under the Song State for too long and didn't know what a founding monarch meant. They thought Guo Jing would show grace to them and win them over.

Little did they know that the king had already sharpened his knife and was displeased with them.

Guo Jing's voice resounded throughout the hall, "Calm down? When I destroyed the Jin Dynasty in the past, I had already let them off the hook and forgiven them. Now, they dare to make peace with foreign enemies, disregarding the laws of the country and me. They are so stubborn and unrepentant. You should remember this and never do it again!"

"We will always remember your Majesty's teachings!" The ministers below bowed down.

"Remember this, I am not Zhao Kuo from the south!"

When these words were spoken, the ministers felt a pang in their hearts, and they felt that the emperor's majesty was as strong as a mountain and was beyond words.

With the fall of the Jin Dynasty and the fall of Lin'an City, the inside story of the Zhao Song court also spread. The views of the Emperor of the Song Dynasty and those prime ministers as well as the old stories of the past few decades were almost spread throughout the world.

Zhao Kuo was an incompetent monarch, but his only strength was that he lived long enough. He was in power for nearly 30 years, almost older than Guo Jing's lifetime. This was not only a mockery of Zhao Kuo, but also a warning to his ministers.

Guo Jing knew very well that severe punishments should be used in troubled times. The world had not yet been unified and the country was newly established, so it was a time of renewal. His actions, in addition to making an example of someone else, were more importantly to declare his views to the government and the public.

Once the country and the people are endangered, no matter how great his contributions are, he will not be able to escape. What's more, Guo Chengping is not only his offspring, but also his eldest son, which is related to the succession of the country and is of great importance. Since he has stretched out his hand, he deserves this end.

Moreover, the scholar-official class that emerged from the corpse of the Song Dynasty disgusted him. He would never forget why the Guo and Yang families ended up like this, and he would never forget the Lujiazhuang that was wiped out on the shores of Taihu Lake.

If you always consider the overall situation and tolerance in everything, why not prepare yourself for death and put your neck under the enemy's knife?
Moreover, the current Great Zhou has established schools. Although they are temporarily not important, they can slowly replace the old bureaucrats, help the court govern the local areas, and stabilize people's hearts.

Immediately, all officials in the court discussed the matter of attacking Shu.

After the court session, Huang Yaoshi dragged his tired body into the palace.

"See Your Majesty."

Guo Jing stepped forward and helped him up, "No need to be polite. I have been troubled by your help these days, father-in-law." The waiter at the side poured him tea and brought a chair.

Huang Yaoshi sat down, thought for a moment, and said, "Your Majesty, the Eagle Guard is a double-edged sword, with both advantages and disadvantages. This major case has already caused unrest in the government and the country. Now is the time to destroy the Song Dynasty, so it is not appropriate to start a war again."

Guo Jing's eyes showed a thoughtful look, and he nodded, "Don't worry, father-in-law. If they hadn't touched Ping'er this time, I wouldn't have started a big prison. This move can only frighten people for a while, but it can't bring long-term peace."

"This time, I am attacking Shu with Zhang Rou as the commander. We have 50,000 soldiers and sufficient food and grass. When I heard that the army had just entered Shu Road, some people from Shu came to me and presented the Shu defense map. The Song Dynasty is really unpopular in Shu."

"Indeed, the State of Song has been defeated in wars year after year, but it still has to pay annual tribute. There are complaints from all parts of the south, and Shu has been exploited several times. There have been several civil uprisings." Huang Yaoshi also sighed.

"However, there may be uncertainties in Hebei, so Your Majesty must be cautious."

"Uncle Mu Huali has returned to the grassland, and power is being transferred. If my father-in-law is talking about those tax farmers, they are nothing to worry about." Guo Jing took a sip of tea and didn't take them to heart at all.

Huang Yaoshi frowned slightly, and a few wrinkles appeared on his handsome face. "Those powerful people are not like Guanzhong and Henan. They have built forts and command large armies. If we force them to do so, it will probably not be an easy task."

"Father-in-law, you are taking this matter too seriously. If those powerful people openly rebel, how many people will listen to them? Using a small corner of the country to fight against the North, I don't mind using their heads to intimidate the world."

"No matter what, I will never allow this tax package to exist, and I will not tolerate these countries within countries!" The voice was cold and full of murderous intent.

Power will not disappear, it will only be transferred. If these powerful families are really allowed to become powerful, it may not be impossible for the aristocratic families to make a comeback. Guo Jing will never allow these powerful families to suck blood from the court.

At this moment, Huang Yaoshi seemed to see the war in the north breaking out again, and he couldn't help but sigh, "Alas, Your Majesty, make the decision yourself." He didn't want these powerful families to continue to grow stronger, but he hoped to unify the world first, and then slowly deal with it. This way, the damage would be less. He hoped that the north could retain more vitality to guard against Mongolia.

He looked at these things from the perspective of a prime minister, but Guo Jing looked at the overall situation as a monarch. Taking back their rights would inevitably cause them to counterattack, and no one would be willing to give up the power in their hands.

For things like this, the sooner they are done, the quicker the Gordian knot can be cut to minimize the damage. Some things are only suitable for founding a country and pacifying troubled times. It would be inconvenient to do them after the founding of a country.

……

Hanzhong is the gateway to Shu. It is not only an important barrier to defend against invasion by enemies from the north, but also the only way to the north to the Central Plains. If Hanzhong is lost, Shu will be difficult to defend. From Hanzhong to Guanzhong, one must take five plank roads into Shu. They are Qishan Road, Chencang Road, Baoxia Road, Tangluo Road and Ziwu Road.

The Great Zhou occupied the entire Guanzhong region and could send troops from multiple directions, while the Song Dynasty could only adopt a strategic defense. Not only that, Guo Jing also ordered Lu Guanying, who was guarding Jiankang, to lead his troops to harass the towns of Jinghu and interfere with the Song Dynasty.

With the current strength of the Song Dynasty, it is absolutely unable to support a war on two fronts. The importance of Shu is naturally needless to say, but if Jinghu is lost, the western route of Jiangnan will no longer have a barrier. At that time, the Zhou army can directly attack the gate of Jiujiang, and Nanchang Prefecture will face the offensive directly.

Upon hearing of the unusual movements of the Zhou army in Jiankang, Lin'an and other places, the Song State felt as if it was facing a great enemy and hurriedly dispatched heavy troops to set up defenses. As for Shu, the rulers and ministers of the Song Dynasty only sent 20,000 reinforcements and exempted several percent of the taxes. As for supplies, there were none.

There were countless battles to attack Shu in history. Our ancestors had already set an example, and later generations just followed it. There are many mountains in Hanzhong and Guanzhong, and the area is densely forested, with all kinds of barren mountains and ridges.

The troop route had been determined before the expedition. The army was divided into two routes, advancing into Hanzhong from Xiegu and Luogu, and attacking Shu from Guanzhong. The most important thing was to take Hanzhong. In the Later Shu era, Meng Chang surrendered to the Song Dynasty without much fighting, and was even mocked in a poem by Lady Huarui.

Twenty years ago, Zhao Kuo rarely showed his strength and wanted to launch a northern expedition, but ended up in a disastrous defeat. The Shu local general Wu Xi surrendered to the Jin Dynasty. This guy's ancestors were famous generals who fought against the Jin Dynasty. It can be said that their family was a family of generals for three generations. As a result, not only did his generation surrender to the Jin Dynasty, but he also proclaimed himself king. Of course, the only outcome was death.

After Wu Xi's death, Song feared that Shu would split again, so it appointed Gui Ruyuan as the commander of Shu. However, upon hearing that Zhou's army was attacking Shu, he was afraid of the alliance between Zhou and the Mongols, and regardless of the fact that the Sichuan-Shaanxi defense line had always been based on "three passes as gates and five states as barriers", he directly gave up Chengzhou, Fengzhou, Tianshuijun, Jiezhou, Xihezhou, and decided to defend Xianren Pass, Qifang Pass, and Wuxiu Pass.

When the news reached Luoyang, all the civil and military officials in the court were stunned. They lost the territory before the battle even started. Guo Jing also laughed. The last time such a scene happened was when Mongolia attacked the Jin Dynasty. He didn't expect that the Great Zhou would also see the same scene in the Great Song Dynasty.

……

As soon as they left the Guanzhong Plain and crossed the Heihe River, the 800-li Qinchuan Plain came into view. The army was stationed at the mouth of Luogu Valley, and then they went into the mountains. The mountains were towering and there was no end in sight.

After a few days, the road became increasingly rugged, with only plank roads and cable bridges available for passage in the wild mountains and ridges. Many of the plank roads and cable bridges on this road were damaged and had to be repaired before the army could pass, so the army did not move fast.

The pitch-black armor formed a long line and continued to move forward through the mountains, like a black snake.

Zhang Rou was a middle-aged man with a handsome face. Unlike other generals, he did not have dark skin, but he was exhausted after several days of marching. The road into Shu was very difficult to travel, with great elevation differences. Horses could not be ridden in many places, and there were no people.

There are many valleys and river valleys between Hanzhong and Guanzhong. This road has a history of more than a thousand years. The connection between Shu Road and Guanzhong has always existed and is rarely cut off because there are too many small paths. For example, the Yinping Road taken by Deng Ai is a path that no one has walked on all year round. It can be said to be a life-threatening one.

However, what Zhang Rou did not expect was that the army had just marched for more than half a month and had just walked out of Luo Valley.

Before they even engaged the Song army, the Song generals guarding the pass surrendered directly.

Upon asking, I learned that the new Shu landlord would demote his subordinates at will, withhold military pay, and make enemies with local forces. According to the Song Dynasty court, this was to cleanse the remaining influence of the Wu family. As for withholding military pay, is that a big deal? What's wrong with taking some money from your soldiers? Go and complain if you have the guts!

Most of the soldiers and generals defending Shu were of local origin. The imperial court had exploited Shu to the utmost, and there were already signs of rebellion in Shu. The military pay was insufficient, the morale of the soldiers was low, they did not work hard, and there was even a sense of indulgence.

At this time, the Great Zhou attacked the Song.

When the generals defending the city saw the high-spirited army of the Great Zhou and then looked at the thousands of battle-experienced soldiers under their command, they surrendered without a second thought. With only a small amount of military pay per month, what was the point of risking their lives?
All things are difficult at the beginning. In the following several checkpoints, there were no hard battles. Usually, after a few rounds of feint attacks, the Song army surrendered.

……

Nanchang Prefecture, Imperial Palace.

It was drizzling, the clouds were foggy, and the sky was dim, as if a layer of haze was pressing on the heart, making it hard to breathe.

Inside the palace, several officials were sitting here waiting anxiously. Suddenly, someone stepped into the hall. Zhen Dexiu hurriedly stepped forward and saluted, "Your Highness, may I ask how the emperor is doing now?"

The man was named Zhao Hong, the ninth-generation grandson of Emperor Taizu of Song's fourth son, Prince of Qin Zhao Defang, and the adopted son of Emperor Ningzong of Song, Zhao Kuo. He now held the title of Duke of Ji and was recognized by both the court and the public as the crown prince.

Zhao Hong's face was serious, and he quickly helped him up, "No need to be polite, sir."

Then he said in a sad tone, "Father has not eaten for many days and has fallen into a coma. The imperial physician can only delay his death for a while."

Several ministers looked at each other, feeling as if the sky was about to fall, "How could this be?"

Although Zhao Kuo was not a good emperor, he was appreciated by several prime ministers and important officials, because the emperor not only delegated power, but also did not do anything stupid. He just built Taoist palaces and practiced Taoism, which did not cost much money.

The emperor rules the country with ease, which is the monarch that the literati and officials throughout the dynasties most hope to meet. However, the Song Dynasty is now facing an invasion by a powerful enemy and Emperor Zhao is in imminent danger, which is undoubtedly adding insult to injury.

At this time, Zhen Dexiu clasped his fists towards Zhao Hong and said, "Your Highness, can you let me go in and take a look?"

Zhao Hong agreed without thinking, "Okay, follow me."

For him, the position of crown prince was already a foregone conclusion, as everyone in the court and the public knew. Moreover, the current court did not have a powerful prime minister like Shi Miyuan. Historically, this guy revealed his murderous intentions too early. After Zhao Kuo died, Shi Miyuan found someone to ascend the throne and kicked him off the throne.

The worst thing is that this guy was almost "crowned with a yellow robe" and then forced to hang himself. It was not until Shi Miyuan died that Zhao Yun, who became the emperor in his place, dared to rehabilitate him. It was simply a tragedy.

Now, everything is different. Shi Miyuan was killed by Huang Yaoshi. With the fall of the Jin Dynasty, the biggest dispute between the pro-war and pro-peace factions disappeared. The court became stable and all the ministers were in charge of the court. Naturally, no one would do something like changing the emperor.

In the inner hall, Zhao Kuo was lying on the bed. His fair and round face looked haggard, his eyes were closed, his breath was weak, and the air was filled with the smell of medicine.

"Official family, official family?"

Several ministers tried to call him, but Zhao Kuo showed no signs of waking up. Zhao Hong's eyes also showed grief, as if he was really sad.

Qiao Xingjian took a step forward and said directly, "Your Highness, the emperor is seriously ill and cannot manage affairs. The country cannot be without a ruler for a day. Now, Zhou is attacking Shu and is preparing to make a move in Jiangnan. The people in the court and the public are in panic. At this moment, we must stabilize people's hearts as soon as possible."

Zhao Hong looked at Zhao Kuo, a smile appeared on his lips, but when he turned around, his face turned into a sad one, "My father is seriously ill, as a son, how can I not serve him, Lord Qiao, please forgive me for not agreeing to this."

He was Zhao Kuo's adopted son, so why would he have so much affection for him? Since the capital was moved, Zhao Kuo had either been practicing Taoism in the Taoist palace or discussing Taoism with the Taoist priest in Longhu Mountain. He didn't see this adopted son very often.

Zhen Dexiu on the side also hurriedly said, "Your Highness, this is related to the decline of the country. Please move to the directorate and stabilize the government."

"This?" Zhao Hong still looked embarrassed.

Immediately afterwards, the remaining ministers requested again, and Zhao Hong reluctantly agreed.

(End of this chapter)