Destroy Jin and conquer Song, and carry the Northern Expedition through to the end

Chapter 567: The Minister of Public Security Fights for Fame and Fortune

Facts have proved that Hesheli Liangbi really underestimated the State of Song.

In particular, he underestimated Ye Yiwen, the nominal highest official of the two Huai regions of the Song Dynasty, the Jianghuai Xuanfu Envoy.

As a general of the pro-war faction, history has pushed Ye Yiwen to this position. How could he not want to accomplish something great?
However, Mr. Ye encountered a big problem this time.

His deputy, Yu Yunwen, the deputy envoy of Jianghuai, was really outrageous.

According to the previous political compromise, Ye Yiwen should have given power to Yu Yunwen.

But Yu Yunwen's hands were too long. He was in control of both civil and military affairs, and even completely marginalized Ye Yiwen, making the government of Lianghuai a mere stamp. How could people tolerate this?

Ye Yi asked angrily, and then got angry for a while.

There was no way. Yu Yunwen was far more capable than him. Whether in military or civil affairs, Ye Yiwen could not even begin to compare to him. Moreover, Yu Yunwen was deeply trusted by the new emperor, Zhao Shen. In military terms, he had the Shandong righteous army as an ally, and in political terms, he had the literati and officials of Shu as strong support. How could an incompetent old man like him shake him?

What made Ye Yiwen jealous the most was that Liu Huai, also known as Liu Dalang, who was recruited as an external aid by Yu Yunwen, was clearly discovered by him first, and Lu You was also recruited as his confidant first, but now they both turned to Yu Yunwen.

It was obviously me who came first!
The officials sent by Ye Yiwen to Shandong were beaten up and driven back, almost tearing off the last bit of dignity of both sides.

If Lu You had not sent many letters in succession to explain, Mr. Ye might have been so angry that he fell ill.

Of course, not everyone thinks Ye Yiwen is useless.

At least Kong Duan, who arrived in Huaixi in person, recognized the talent and couldn't wait to start cooking.

It was not until this moment that Ye Yiwen suddenly realized.

Damn, there is such a powerful Tianping Army in Shandong!

How come I didn’t know this earlier?

From this we can see the ability of Mr. Ye.

At this time, Xin Qiji had already gained a great reputation in the Song Dynasty with his many high-quality poems. The news of the Dongping Army's annihilation of the Weiyi Army had been reported for a long time. However, Ye Yiwen only figured out the sphere of influence of Shandong now, which made him a typical bureaucrat of the Song Dynasty.

I can only say that it is not unfair at all that this guy was ostracized by Yu Yunwen and became like this.

Kong Duanqi, who came to meet Ye Yiwen in person, was also very nervous when he saw the surprise of the Prime Minister of Song State.

No way.

Even if the prime minister of Song State was mediocre, he wouldn't be so mediocre, right?

Thinking of this, Kong Duanqi directly spoke to test: "Mr. Ye, my Tianping Army has 100,000 elite soldiers. We will send troops to attack Jin in the autumn. I hope Mr. Ye can send troops to support us!"

Ye Yiwen drank a cup of tea before smiling and saying, "General Kong, please don't try to deceive me with these words. Although I don't know anything about military affairs, I'm not a fool. How can the three prefectures of Shandong support an army of 100,000?"

Kong Duanqi immediately felt relieved.

It turns out that Mr. Ye is not a fool, so he must have just been ostracized by others.

He immediately laughed wryly and said, "Of course there isn't an army of 100,000. This is just a fictitious number, but if we can make up 50,000 soldiers and horses, we can still have one."

Ye Yiwen's eyes lit up: "Doesn't that mean that the Tianping Army is stronger than the Zhongyi Army and Jingnan Army combined?"

The corner of Kong Duanqi's mouth twitched.

This 50,000-strong army includes auxiliary troops, logistics personnel, and civilian laborers, so the actual regular troops capable of fighting in the battlefield are less than 20,000.

The troops that Liu Huai could control were definitely more than 20,000 regular troops.

Damn, it’s too early to be happy.

Is Mr. Ye any good?!
Ye Yiwen, however, did not stop talking at this moment. He stood up and paced back and forth: "So, the Tianping Army can split into two groups this time. One group can attack Hebei, and the other group can go straight to the Central Plains to recapture the old capital?"

Kong Duanqi was startled, then stood up and waved his hands repeatedly: "Prime Minister Ye, the Jin Kingdom still has its troops. Although the Tianping Army can go to the battle, it cannot be divided into two groups. Otherwise, if the Jin thieves gather a large force, our army may be annihilated."

As soon as he said that, Kong Duanqi felt a little regretful.

As expected, Ye Yiwen stopped, then slowly turned around and asked with a smile, "Then according to General Kong, where should the Tianping Army attack?"

Ye Yiwen really didn't understand this strategy, and was really asking questions at this time.

But in Kong Duanqi's view, Lord Ye had forced him into a corner with just one absurd remark, which showed that he was a man of deep thoughts.

Even that harmless face became unfathomable.

Kong Duanqi had no choice but to say in a deep voice, "Of course it's Daming Prefecture, it can only be Daming Prefecture!"

Ye Yiwen nodded slowly, looking thoughtful. After a long moment, he said, "Since the Tianping Army has chosen to attack Daming Prefecture instead of Xuzhou, what can I, an old man in Lianghuai, do?"

Ye Yiwen really didn't know what to do, but it didn't stop Kong Duan from standing in awe.

This Mr. Ye is really amazing. The difficulties and future of all kinds of people are like a mirror in his eyes.

Thinking of this, Kong Duanqi couldn't help but feel ashamed of his previous criticism.

After all, the Song Dynasty was a vast country. Even if the prime minister chosen to govern the two Huai regions was not as promising as Yu Yunwen, how could he be a stupid person?
Seeing Ye Yiwen looking at him, Kong Duanqi restrained his expression and said, "What Ye Xianggong said is true. The current situation is a stalemate. The Song army gathered in Lianghuai can only threaten Pizhou, Xuzhou, and Wokou. However, like the Zhongyi Army and Jingnan Army, they have experienced a series of battles, and their troops are old and tired. It is impossible to mobilize a large army to the north in a hurry."

The Jin army, after suffering a great defeat and being divided, also found it difficult to take the initiative to attack.

Therefore, our Tianping Army is willing to break this situation and capture Daming Prefecture, taking the lead in the world!"

These words were spoken with great righteousness, but Ye Yiwen just looked at Kong Duanqi without saying anything.

Kong Duanqi naturally knew that these words would not convince Ye Yiwen, so he could only continue: "If our Tianping Army captures Daming Prefecture, we can cut off the coordination between the Jin bandits. The only thing we should worry about is the Jin bandits' troops in Xuzhou.

Although Duke Wei and Liu Dalang can hold back the Jin thieves, they have 30,000 soldiers and horses. If they attack Dongping Prefecture while my Tianping Army is attacking Daming Prefecture, then everything will be over.

"We also ask that Lord Ye dispatch his troops to help us contain the Jin bandits. As long as we capture Daming Prefecture, our Tianping Army can cooperate with the Song army to attack Bianliang from both sides. By then, we can recover the Central Plains and return to the old capital, and Lord Ye will be remembered forever!"

Ye Yiwen nodded modestly, his expression showing nothing, but his heart was already churning.

Recovering the Central Plains and returning to the old capital is a feat that even Zhuge Liang could not accomplish. If Ye Yiwen could accomplish it, wouldn't it mean that he is even stronger than Zhuge Liang?

However, Ye Yiwen had been traveling as an official for many years and would not easily express his attitude. He just asked Kong Duanqi to stay and then called his confidants to inquire about the matter.

Ye Yiwen's confidants all thought that this could be done.

On the one hand, these people are of average talent and can make sense when it comes to specific matters, but when it comes to the grand strategy of the world situation, they are far behind.

On the other hand, Ye Yiwen’s current situation is not very good. Almost all the power has been taken away by Yu Yunwen. He has to struggle no matter what. Even if he makes a mistake, it is better than doing nothing.

Therefore, after leaving Kong Duanqi alone for a few days, Ye Yiwen appeared again and made a solemn verbal promise.

The Song Dynasty will definitely send troops to contain the Jin army in Xuzhou, making it impossible for them to advance north to attack Dongping Prefecture.

After Yu Yunwen, the deputy envoy of the Xuanfu, who had been inspecting the local area, came back, Ye Yi asked this official Xuanfu minister to take the lead in formally reporting to the court, and then mobilize the cavalry, infantry and navy to arrive in Shanyang, preparing for a northern expedition!
On the fourth day after Kong Duanqi left happily, Yu Yunwen finally returned to Luzhou exhausted. After hearing the promises made by Ye Yiwen and the Tianping Army, he was so angry that his nose almost turned crooked.

After all, Yu Yunwen was a traditional scholar-official of the Song Dynasty. He had no intention of being like Wang Mang or Cao Cao, so he did not place anyone to monitor his colleagues. Therefore, he did not know about this until Ye Yiwen personally placed the document in front of him, and then he almost lost his composure on the spot.

After driving out all the clerks and soldiers, Yu Yunwen finally turned to Ye Yiwen and said seriously, "Why didn't you discuss it with me, Lord Ye, and just agreed to the Tianping Army's lobbying? Did the Tianping Army give you some benefits?"

Ye Yiwen's face darkened. "Prime Minister Yu, if I didn't want to discuss this with you, why didn't I simply sign the document and submit it to the court? As ministers of pacification, aren't we both here in Huaibei and Huainan to help with military operations against the Jin? This is my duty, so how could I accept bribes?"

Yu Yunwen was so angry at Ye Yiwen's attitude that he laughed.

It turns out it’s still all about fighting for fame and fortune!

Yu Yunwen said bluntly, "If we want to start a war, it will have to be after next autumn at the latest. Right now, we don't have enough food and supplies, and the soldiers are still training. This is not the time to use troops."

Ye Yiwen also got angry and stood up directly: "Prime Minister Yu, don't forget that I am the real Jianghuai Envoy!"

Yu Yunwen sneered, "Then please ask Mr. Ye to conjure up some money and grain! Grain must be planted in spring and harvested in autumn, it grows from the ground, and cloth must be woven one by one, not just rely on Mr. Ye's empty words!
"Mr. Ye, how difficult is it for Huaibei and Huainan after the war? Do you know that in some places, people are already eating their own children?!"

After saying that, Yu Yunwen directly picked up the document in front of him and waved it: "Besides, what kind of bullshit military strategy is this Tianping Army coming up with? They have nothing better to do than attack Daming Prefecture!"

Ye Yiwen stiffened his neck and said, "As long as we capture Daming Prefecture, we can cut off the Jin Kingdom's support!"

Yu Yunwen was once again irritated and laughed: "Oh, Lord Ye, how can the Jin Kingdom respond at all now? Wanyan Liang is in Bianliang, and Wanyan Yong is in Liaodong. We just need to sit tight and they will start fighting on their own!

As long as they fight with all their might for two years, both sides, regardless of victory or defeat, will be severely weakened! That will be the time for us to send our troops!"

"Now the Tianping Army says they're going to attack Daming Prefecture. If they win, it will directly separate Wanyan Liang and Wanyan Yong, delaying the war between them and allowing them to recuperate. Is this a good thing or a bad thing for the Song Dynasty?"

"If we lose!" Yu Yunwen looked at Ye Yi, whose face was a little pale, and asked, "Prince Ye, this is the first battle since the emperor ascended the throne. If we can't get off to a good start, those who want to make peace with the Jin Kingdom will rise again, and you and I will both be sinners for all eternity!"

"Therefore, this first battle requires extreme caution. We must gather all the elite troops of the Great Song Dynasty, unite with Duke Wei of Shandong and Liu Dalang, and then seek the moment when the Jin Kingdom is at its weakest. We must fight with all our might and defeat it. Only then can we achieve a great victory and completely reassure the hearts of the main warriors, and make the court fully determined to recover the Central Plains."

"Mr. Ye, you and I are ministers of the country. How can we forget the country and the people just for the sake of short-term gains?"

Ye Yiwen collapsed in his chair when Yu Yunwen was halfway through his speech. At the end, his face was as pale as paper, his lips moved, and he could hardly speak.

"Then... the Tianping Army..."

Yu Yunwen forced himself to calm his breathing, but he had to clean up his boss's mess: "We can't just ignore it. You and I will jointly sign a document to explain the pros and cons and ask the Tianping Army to temporarily suspend the attack on Daming Mansion.
At the same time, notify the Duke of Wei of the Loyal Army and have them prepare for contingency; if the Tianping Army really attacks Daming Prefecture... then we cannot sit idly by and watch. Order Zhang Zigai and Liu Bao to lead their troops to Shanyang."

After saying this, Yu Yunwen sighed and said, "Mr. Ye, do you know why I didn't contact the Tianping Army?"

Ye Yiwen shook his head in confusion.

"Because their Jiedushi Geng Jing is too selfish," Yu Yunwen said slowly. "It goes without saying that Duke Wei is a man devoted to his country. Liu Dalang has a radical personality, but he also fought the Jin army in Lianghuai. Zhang Gong of the Dongping Army even died in battle, sacrificing his life for his country, and he truly held his ground."

"Except Geng Jing." At this point, Yu Yunwen frowned. "He actually only sent his generals south. That alone would be fine. After all, although this move may be seen as an attempt to exclude dissidents, it can also be regarded as a sign of loyalty to the court.

But this fellow actually stopped after taking Dongping Prefecture, and did not attack Jizhou or Xuzhou to support Duke Wei..."

Having said that, Yu Yunwen immediately shut up and his expression became extremely ugly.

Although this was what he thought in his heart, how could the State of Song have the right to blame others?
Weren't it Zhang Zigai's group who allowed Wei Sheng to fight desperately in Pizhou and pursued the troops hesitantly?

The words stopped there, but Ye Yiwen still understood the meaning of Yu Yunwen's words. He couldn't help but sigh and sat down on the chair dejectedly.

Is it true that I am not capable of achieving great things? Why do I easily fall into traps that others can see through at a glance?
(End of this chapter)