The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 422 Shocking Zhongdu: The Jin Emperor Secretly Plans to Move the Capital and Escape

The morning in Zhongdu should have been the most bustling time.

The market, which is usually crowded with vendors hawking their wares and travelers on their way, is now deserted.

The stalls were sparsely populated, and even the few vendors who were there had their heads drooping, lacking their usual enthusiasm for hawking their wares.

Pedestrians hurried along, their faces filled with anxiety; no one wanted to linger.

"Have you heard? Fighting has broken out in Fuzhou, and the Ming army is launching a fierce attack on the border fortifications!"

An old man selling steamed buns lowered his voice and spoke to the cloth vendor next to him, slowing down the rolling pin in his hand.

The cloth merchant sighed, shook his head, and said, "That's right!"

“My nephew does business in Fuzhou. He came back yesterday. Although all his goods were lost, at least he survived.”

"He said the Ming army's artillery was terrifying; each explosion created a huge crater, and our soldiers simply couldn't withstand it!"

"The border fort may not be able to be held."

Hearing the old man's words, a woman who was buying needles and thread panicked, her voice trembling slightly: "What should we do?"

"If the Ming army attacks, can we still hold Zhongdu? If not, we should hurry back to the countryside."

"Going back to the countryside won't help."

The old man frowned: "There's a famine in the countryside right now, and bandits are everywhere, robbing grain. Look at your delicate skin, if you go to the countryside, you'll definitely be raped first, then thrown into a big pot to be boiled and eaten."

Hearing the old man's words, the woman trembled with fear.

Many people believe that if war breaks out, they can go back to the countryside to take refuge and have no worries about food and drink, but in reality, the countryside is even more unsafe.

During the war years, the imperial court had almost no control over the countryside. There was no order or rules; it was a world where the strong preyed on the weak.

Wealthy families had servants to protect them, so returning to the countryside for refuge was not a problem, but ordinary people did not have this option.

"Now, all we can do is hope that the imperial court can stop the Ming army," the old man said softly with a sigh.

Just then, a rapid sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from afar, growing louder as it approached, making the dirt road thump and thud.

Everyone looked up and saw a fast horse rushing towards the west gate. The rider was covered in dust, and a command flag with the words "Eight Hundred Li Urgent" was stuck on his back.

While riding his horse, he shouted, "Make way, make way quickly! Urgent military report, urgent dispatch from 800 li away!"

Upon seeing this, the city gate commander immediately ordered the city gate to be opened and sent two soldiers on horseback to escort the messenger: "Quickly, escort the messenger to the Privy Council. If we delay military intelligence, we cannot afford the consequences."

The messenger sped along and soon arrived at the Privy Council.

When the officials left behind saw that he was covered in sweat and looked pale, their hearts skipped a beat, and they quickly took the letter from him.

Upon unfolding the document, the official froze instantly, his eyes widening in disbelief. He muttered to himself, "It's over... Wusha Fortress... Wusha Fortress has fallen?"

He dared not delay, grabbed the letter and ran to the palace, stumbling and falling all the way, not even bothering to straighten his official hat which was askew.

Wushabao was only 600 li away from Zhongdu, and the news of its fall came back in a day, which meant that the situation on the northern front had reached an uncontrollable point.

The imperial court was in complete chaos at that moment.

Wanyan Yongji sat on the dragon throne, his face haggard.

He was already physically weak due to excessive indulgence, and couldn't get up in the morning. By the time he went to court, the sun was already high in the sky. At that moment, he was rubbing his temples and listening to the ministers arguing.

"Your Majesty, the grain supplies on the northern front are running low. The grain transport teams from various regions are still on their way, and the fastest ones will take at least another half a month to arrive," the Minister of Revenue reported.

Wanyan Yongji's expression was serious as he shouted, "They must speed up! If the supplies don't keep up, the soldiers won't have the strength to fight!"

Then, the Deputy Privy Councilor turned to Wanyan Yongji and said, "Your Majesty, I suggest that we continue to conscript laborers and have them bring their own rations to transport the grain."

The Jin Dynasty is currently suffering from natural disasters and man-made calamities, and the people are already in dire straits. Moreover, the Jin Dynasty has already extended the conscription of laborers to ten years later, and the people can't even care about planting crops. They have to bring their own dry food to transport grain for the court.

They're even conscripting people now?

It's practically leaving the people with no way to survive, but the Ming army's southward advance from the northern deserts has put the border defense line in imminent danger, which is the real threat.

Who cares about the life or death of a few lowly commoners?

"Granted!" Wanyan Yongji sat on the dragon throne, yawning, not wanting to speak.

Immediately afterwards, Privy Councilor Pusan ​​Shilie stepped forward, his tone furious: "The Song state is ignorant of its own limitations, and has actually declared war on our Great Jin."

"Han Tuozhou personally led an army of 200,000 men to Huainan, which could march north at any time. They're trying to take advantage of the chaos!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the court officials were filled with righteous indignation.

"That makes no sense."

"The Song state is spineless. They were forced to sue for peace by us back then, and now they dare to launch a northern expedition?"

"They're so forgetful of what they've learned."

"Your Majesty, I request permission to send an army of 100,000 south to teach the Song Kingdom a lesson and show them the might of our Great Jin."

"That's right. The army marched south to Lin'an, captured the Song emperor again, and took back all the women from the Song palace."

"If we don't teach the Song Kingdom a lesson, they will only become more and more demanding."

"If we are attacked from both the north and south, our Great Jin will be in danger."

The ministers loudly clamored for an attack on the Song Dynasty.

Wanyan Yongji frowned, his tone displeased: "Send 100,000 troops south? What about the northern front?"

"Our forces on the northern front are already stretched thin. If we divide our troops and send them south, what will happen if the Ming army attacks? Are you trying to push the Great Jin into a fire pit?"

"The most important thing right now is to deal with the Ming Dynasty."

The court was embroiled in endless debates about the Song Dynasty's northern expedition, and the Jin Dynasty indeed couldn't spare too many troops to go south and support it.

The final decision was to have the troops originally stationed in Huainan resist the Song army, while at the same time mobilizing the power of the aristocratic landowners and conscripting local militia to support the southern front.

The mere state of Song is no match for it.

There's no need to use the Jin Kingdom's most elite forces; ordinary troops are enough to deal with them.

Wanyan Yongji fantasized that it would be best to devour Han Tuozhou's army and launch a counterattack on Lin'an.

Let's do another southward expedition to capture the dragon during the Jingkang era.

Thinking of the gentle, fair-skinned, and beautiful women of the South, Wanyan Yongji, whose body was originally weak, felt a faint sense of renewed strength.

They wished they could capture the concubines and princesses of the Southern Song emperor and ravage them.

It wasn't until noon that all the agenda items were finally concluded. Just as Wanyan Yongji was about to announce the end of the court session, a report suddenly came from outside the hall: "Your Majesty, officials from the Privy Council request an audience. They have urgent military intelligence to report."

Hearing this, Wanyan Yongji, who was already tired and wanted to go back to rest, became even more annoyed. However, there were no trivial matters in the Privy Council, and it was an urgent military matter, so he could only say angrily, "Summon them!"

A Privy Council official strode into the main hall, holding a letter in his hands, his voice trembling: "Your Majesty, urgent report from the northern front... Wusha Fort... Wusha Fort has been captured by the Ming army."

"The 20,000 defenders were almost entirely wiped out, and only Commander Ji Sizhong led the remaining troops back to Fuzhou."

"what?"

Wanyan Yongji, who had been dozing off, suddenly stood up from the dragon throne upon hearing this, his voice trembling, "What did you say? Wusha Fort has fallen?"

"How is this possible? Duji Sizhong led so many soldiers, how could he not hold the position?"

"Your Majesty, it's true."

The official knelt on the ground, his face contorted with grief: "The Ming army used a diversionary tactic, first feigning an attack on Wuyue Camp to lure away reinforcements, then launching a night raid on Wusha Fortress..."

"The Ming army is too strong; our soldiers simply cannot stop them."

The court officials were instantly in an uproar, their discussions erupting like a boiling pot: "Wusha Fort has fallen? Does that mean the 600-mile border defense line is now useless?"

"The Ming army is heading straight for Zhongdu!"

"That good-for-nothing Duji Sizhong, how could he have lost Wusha Fort?"

The court officials were in an uproar, all looking incredulous, clamoring for Duji Sizhong to be convicted.

"enough."

Wanyan Yongji slammed his fist on the dragon throne, his anger blazing: "Duji Sizhong is guilty. He not only lost Wusha Fort, but also destroyed my border defense line."

"If a general is incompetent, the entire army will perish. He must bear full responsibility for the defeat."

Standing at the lower end, Wanyan Yonggong's face was also ashen; he was furious that Dujisizhong had lost Wusha Fort.

Although he and Wanyan Yongji were locked in a fierce internal struggle, they were both descendants of the Wanyan family and understood how serious the consequences of the fall of Wushabao would be.

"Your Majesty, now is not the time to assign blame."

Wanyan Yonggong took the battle report, read it, took a deep breath, gave Wanyan Yongji face, and continued to address him respectfully as "Your Majesty".

"Although Wusha Fort has been lost, the armies in the other military camps on the northern front are still intact. We still have more than 200,000 troops. As long as we select a new commander to lead the various units, we will definitely be able to drive the Ming army out."

"Choose a head coach? Who should we choose?"

Wanyan Yongji looked at him with a complicated expression: "If it weren't for our disagreement back then, we wouldn't have let that incompetent Duji Sizhong take the position, leading to today's disaster."

"What does your Majesty mean by this?"

Wanyan Yonggong frowned: "It's no use talking about this now. I recommend Wanyan Chengyu. He is a veteran of many battles and has rich experience. If he is appointed as the commander-in-chief, he will definitely be able to stabilize the situation."

"Wanyan Chengyu is your man."

Wanyan Yongji immediately retorted: "I disagree. I think Pusan ​​Shilie is more suitable. He is calm and reliable, unlike Duji Sizhong who is reckless."

“Pusan ​​Shilie is just a civil official; what does he know about fighting?”

Wanyan Yonggong angrily said, "Does Your Majesty intend to send the soldiers on the northern front to their deaths in vain?"

The two men clashed again over the command of 300,000 troops on the northern front, and the court returned to its familiar rhythm.

Wanyan Yongji slapped the dragon throne and raised his voice: "How can the command of 300,000 troops on the northern front be handed over to your confidant?"

“I disagree. Pusan ​​Shilie is steady and reliable. Even if he has never been on the battlefield, he is better than Wanyan Chengyu.”

"Wanyan Yongji, are you going to let personal matters interfere with public duties?"

Wanyan Yonggong also lost his temper, slammed his court tablet on the ground, and said in a deep voice: "If Wanyan Chengyu cannot be the marshal, I will completely stop interfering in court affairs."

“I am willing to relinquish all official positions and return to my residence to live out my remaining years. From now on, the rise and fall of the Great Jin will have nothing to do with me.”

Upon hearing this, the entire court fell silent instantly, even their breathing became cautious.

Wanyan Yonggong looked at Wanyan Yongji with a resolute look in his eyes: "I absolutely do not want to see the foundation of my Great Jin Dynasty destroyed again by incompetent generals."

"If Your Majesty insists on choosing Pusan ​​Shilie, then Your Majesty will have to clean up this mess yourself."

The anger on Wanyan Yongji's face froze instantly, replaced by panic. He hadn't expected Wanyan Yonggong to break off all pretense of civility.

Wanyan Yonggong holds most of the power in the court. He not only manages half of the affairs of the court, but also wins over many local generals. If he were to really relinquish all his official positions and abandon his duties, the court would surely fall into chaos.

Now that the northern front is in dire straits and the Song Dynasty has declared war, this is precisely the time when stability is most needed. If the court falls into chaos, the Great Jin Dynasty will truly be finished.

Wanyan Yonggong could be willful and reckless, but Wanyan Yongji was the emperor and had to consider reality.

He can't gamble, and he can't afford to gamble.

Just then, the Chancellor, representing the neutral faction, quickly stepped forward to smooth things over: "Your Majesty, please calm down. Your Highness, Prince Yue, please calm down. The nation is in peril now. The selection of a commander-in-chief is to resist the Ming army, not to vie for power!"

"Wanyan Chengyu does indeed have experience in leading troops, and Privy Councilor Pushan is also extremely loyal. How about this: appoint Wanyan Chengyu as Grand Marshal and Privy Councilor Pushan as Deputy Grand Marshal. The two of them will each perform their duties, which will not only ensure the fighting strength on the northern front but also put the court at ease. What do you think?"

Other neutral ministers echoed, "The Grand Chancellor is right. Both of you are doing this for the sake of the Great Jin. Let's each make a concession!"

"The deputy marshal can also participate in military decision-making. This way, we can utilize Wanyan Chengyu's experience and avoid excessive concentration of power. It's a win-win situation!"

Wanyan Yongji saw the steps laid out before him, and although he was unwilling, he could only grit his teeth and compromise—he knew that this was the only way at the moment.

"Okay, let's do as Pingzhang says."

However, it would be a waste of Pusan ​​Shilie's talents to serve as a deputy marshal, given that he was a Privy Councilor, and Wanyan Yongji also needed him to stay in Zhongdu to control the Privy Council.

To check Wanyan Chengyu's command of troops, he sent another trusted general to serve as deputy marshal.

He took a deep breath, his voice tinged with weariness, "Appoint Wanyan Chengyu as Grand Marshal and Hushahu as Deputy Grand Marshal, to command the northern army. They must hold the line and drive the Ming army out."

Wanyan Yonggong's tense expression finally eased a bit, and he bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise. I believe that Wanyan Chengyu will not let Your Majesty down."

Wanyan Chengyu stepped forward to receive the order, bowed, and said, "Your subject will certainly live up to the trust placed in you by Your Majesty and Prince Yue, and will defend the northern front to the death and drive the Ming army out of the Jin Kingdom."

But no one knew that his lowered eyelids concealed the bitterness and uncertainty in his eyes.

Before, he was full of confidence and thought he could stop the Ming army, but Duji Sizhong's crushing defeat made him feel lingering fear.

Li Xiao was not only a brilliant strategist who outmaneuvered Duji Sizhong, but the Ming army's fighting strength far surpassed that of the Jin army. The power of their cannons and crossbows was terrifying to even think about.

"This marshal's position is a hot potato," Wanyan Chengyu sighed inwardly, but since things had come to this, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and take it on.

Wanyan Yongji looked at him and softened his tone: "Wanyan Chengyu, the country is in peril now. No matter who you are on, you must prioritize the safety of the Great Jin."

"I eagerly await your arrival with good news, so that we may safeguard the land of our Great Jin."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Wanyan Chengyu accepted the order, and without taking a break, he immediately set off for Fuzhou to take over command of the army from Duji Sizhong.

Meanwhile, after the court session ended, Wanyan Yongji returned to the palace and sat on a chair in his sleeping quarters, becoming increasingly uneasy.

He was a timid and incompetent man to begin with, and now that he had lost Wusha Fort so soon after the start of the war, and Zhongdu was shrouded in the shadow of war, he was even more terrified.

"What if... what if we can't stop the Ming army?"

He muttered to himself, and a thought suddenly popped into his mind: move the capital.

“Yes, move the capital.” Wanyan Yongji’s eyes lit up.

“Learn from the Northern Wei emperors of yesteryear and move south.”

Although the Song state was preparing for a northern expedition, Wanyan Yongji believed they were simply incapable.

Apart from the generals like Yue Fei back then, there are few capable generals in the Song Dynasty now.

Most importantly, the Song Dynasty lacked warhorses, and the flat plains of the Central Plains made them easy targets for the Jin army.

Holding Kaifeng is definitely not a problem.

If they were lucky, and the Jin generals on the southern front were capable, the Jin army might even be able to launch a counterattack to Lin'an and capture all the Song emperors and empresses.

In that way, the Jin state could make up for its losses in the north many times over by taking them from the Song state.

The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. He immediately summoned his trusted eunuch and said, "Go and prepare quietly. Pack up all the gold, silver, jewels, and important documents in the palace, and arrange for carriages and horses."

"Remember, this matter must not be known to anyone."

"Before the Ming army reaches the walls of Zhongdu, I will secretly take my family and beloved concubines to Kaifeng."

The eunuch dared not ask any further questions and quickly bowed to accept the order.

……

On the earthen walls of Wuyue Camp, the smoke of gunpowder had not yet dissipated, and the stench of blood mixed with the smell of gunpowder permeated the air.

The surviving Jin soldiers slumped against the wall, some clutching their wounded arms, others wiping the blood off their weapons, their faces filled with relief at surviving the ordeal.

Last night, the Ming army suddenly withdrew, and they thought it was going to launch a larger-scale attack. It wasn't until this morning when they saw that the Ming army camp was empty that they dared to believe that they had escaped death.

"Don't just stand there."

General Wanyan Lie, holding a blood-stained scimitar, stood on the earthen wall and shouted in a slightly hoarse voice, "Repair the earthen wall immediately!"

"If we carry the bodies of our fallen brothers away to be buried too late, it will get hot and there is a risk of an epidemic."

"There are also gaps in the city's defenses. We should block them with stones and send people to guard the granaries closely to prevent the Ming army from suddenly attacking back."

The soldiers quickly stood up and went about their duties.

Several young soldiers carried the corpse, their steps heavy. One of them couldn't help but ask the old soldier beside him, "Uncle, why did the Ming army suddenly retreat? Can our Wuyue Camp really hold out?"

The veteran sighed, "Who knows? But I heard the Ming army went to attack Wushabao, so we're safe for now."

"Repairing the defenses is the most important thing. If the Ming army comes back, we can hold out a little longer."

On the other side, in front of the granary, two generals were counting the grain. One of them frowned and said, "There's not much grain left. We can only last another ten days at most."

"If the grain transport team doesn't come soon, we'll have to fight on an empty stomach."

Don't jinx it.

Another general patted him on the shoulder: "The imperial court will definitely send grain. As long as we hold Wuyue Camp, we have hope."

Little did they know that a fierce chase was unfolding in the direction of Wushabao.

A Ming cavalry unit clad in blue armor moved like cheetahs across the grassland, pursuing the fleeing Jin soldiers who had escaped from Wusha Fort.

"The Commander-in-Chief has ordered that anyone who refuses to surrender shall be executed without mercy."

"You Jurchen traitors, you can't escape."

A Ming cavalryman, holding a saber, shouted to the fleeing soldiers in front of him.

No sooner had he finished speaking than his saber came crashing down from behind, and the fleeing soldier screamed and fell to the ground.

"Ah~"

"Spare me!"

The new recruit Zhao Hu, standing beside him, gripped his hook-and-sickle spear tightly, his palms sweating profusely.

He had only recently joined the Eighth Division, and this was his first time on the battlefield.

"Remember, when dealing with fleeing soldiers, you must be quick, accurate, and ruthless. Don't give them a chance to resist." As he spoke, the veteran Li Da drew his bow and shot an arrow through the neck of a fleeing soldier.

Remembering the old soldier's words, Zhao Hu thrust his spear forward, piercing the back of a fleeing soldier. He couldn't help but close his eyes, his heart pounding.

"Don't be afraid, you'll get used to it after killing a few more."

Li Da patted him on the shoulder: "Chasing down fleeing soldiers is the best time to improve your skills. Now that you've mastered it, you won't be afraid to face the elite Jin army next time."

Zhao Hu nodded, took a deep breath, gripped his spear tightly again, and charged toward the next fleeing soldier.

Although this Ming cavalry force numbered only a hundred, they were like tigers descending the mountain, routing the Jin army and sending them fleeing in all directions.

Just then, a group of Jin soldiers appeared in front of them.

It was the reconnaissance team sent out by the Wuyue Camp.

"There's even a golden dog here?"

Li shouted, "Brothers, follow me!"

Without hesitation, the Ming cavalry charged toward the Jin army squad.

The Jin army squad consisted of only twenty-odd men. When they saw the Ming cavalry charging towards them, they were terrified and turned to run away.

The Ming cavalry pursued relentlessly, slaughtering the Jin army squad until only a few men remained, who fled back to Wuyue Camp in a sorry state.

"stop."

Li Da raised his hand to signal: "Stop chasing. First, scout out the situation of Wuyue Camp. We'll attack when the main force arrives."

The soldiers stopped and began to observe the deployment of the Wuyue Camp.

Inside the Wuyue camp, the fleeing soldiers scrambled to Wanyan Lie's feet, their voices trembling: "General... we've spotted Ming cavalry to the east."

"They wore blue armor, were impervious to swords and spears, and were incredibly fast; they were devils."

"what?"

Wanyan Lie frowned, his face full of disbelief: "The Ming army should still be outside the pass, how could they be inside the border trench? Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

"That's right."

The soldier said urgently, "They even chased after our people, they're too powerful."

Just then, several fleeing soldiers from Wushabao stumbled and rushed into Wuyue Camp.

One of them saw Wanyan Lie and cried out, "General, Wusha Fort... Wusha Fort has been breached! The Ming army is too fierce; our men simply cannot hold them off!"

"What did you say?"

Wanyan Lie felt as if he had been struck by lightning, taking two steps back and almost falling: "Wusha Fortress has been breached? Didn't the commander-in-chief lead men to reinforce it? How could it have fallen?"

"The commander-in-chief is late," the defeated soldier cried.

"The Ming army used a diversionary tactic, first feigning an attack on Wuyue Camp to lure away reinforcements, and then launching a night attack on Wusha Fort... The artillery was too powerful; even the earthen walls were blown down, and our men suffered heavy casualties!"

Wanyan Lie was trembling with rage. He kicked over the water bucket beside him and cursed, "Useless! All of you are useless! Are the garrison of Wusha Fort just sitting around doing nothing?"

At the same time, he complained in his heart: "That idiot Duji Sizhong brought so many men, and he still couldn't hold the line."

After cursing, a wave of despair washed over me.

With the loss of Wusha Fort, the border trench defense line became a mere formality, and the Ming army could attack Wuyue Camp at any time. Wuyue Camp's food and manpower were simply no match for the main force of the Ming army.

“It’s over… we’re completely finished now…” Wanyan Lie muttered to himself.

He immediately ordered, "Quickly, everyone go and reinforce the defenses, not only the earthen walls in front, but also the sides and the rear. The Ming army may attack at any time."

The soldiers rushed to their feet, but their faces were filled with panic.

Half a day later, a large number of Ming soldiers appeared on the grassland due east.

The golden sun and moon battle banners fluttered in the wind, and the soldiers wore yellow, blue, and white armor with a patina, their faces covered with the chapped skin left over from winter.

Their hands were still cracked from the frostbite, yet they all looked fierce and ruthless, approaching the Wuyue Camp like hungry wolves.

"The Ming army's main force is here!" the soldier on the earthen wall shouted in terror, his voice trembling.

"Even Wusha Fortress has been breached, how can we possibly hold them off?" a soldier said despairingly, slumped to the ground.

“It’s over… the Great Jin is doomed…” another soldier muttered to himself, his weapon falling to the ground.

Wanyan Lie stood on the earthen wall, watching the Ming army approaching, his heart filled with despair.

He knew that the Wuyue Camp could not hold out, and the end of the Jin Kingdom might really be coming.

(End of this chapter)