I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 240 Bloodbath in Jiangnan, Acting on Behalf of Heaven
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In the third year of Zhao Yu's reign, he upgraded Zhenjiang from a prefecture to a prefecture, making it the earliest city in the Liangzhe region to be upgraded from a prefecture to a prefecture.

This shows that Zhenjiang held a relatively high position in Zhao Yu's heart.

The reason why Zhenjiang was valued by Zhao Yu was mainly because of its extremely important geographical location.

Zhenjiang is protected by the natural barrier of the Yangtze River to the north. It is a military stronghold in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, which can block the southward invasion of the army. It is also a place with convenient transportation in all directions. It has been a strategic location for military strategists throughout history.

Not long after Fang La's uprising, while Song Jiang's rebel army was marching south, Zhao Yu ordered Sun Lan and Wang Min to lead the Southern Auxiliary Army stationed in Huaiyang to Zhenjiang.

After receiving the orders, Sun Lan and Wang Min, the veteran general Wang Min, personally led the vanguard cavalry to Zhenjiang that very day.

Immediately afterwards, Sun Lan led the main force of the Southern Auxiliary Army across the river in batches and set up a complete defensive fortification in Zhenjiang.

At that time, Fang La's rebel army had not yet left Qingxi County, and Song Jiang's rebel army had just marched south from Haizhou.

Zhenjiang was an important strategic barrier on the eastern front of Jiangning Prefecture (later Nanjing).

Historically, if the Northern Army occupied Yangzhou, they would then advance south from the north bank of the Yangtze River.

After capturing Zhenjiang, the connection between Jiangning Prefecture and Changzhou, Suzhou, and Zhejiang would be severed. Then the Northern Army could sweep across southern Jiangsu and form a strategic encirclement of Jiangning Prefecture.

According to Du You of the Tang Dynasty, Zhenjiang's importance to Jiangning Prefecture was comparable to that of Mengjin to Luoyang.

If the Northern Army captures Mengjin, Luoyang will be indefensible.

The same applies to Zhenjiang in relation to Jiangning Prefecture.

Therefore, the six dynasties (Eastern Wu, Eastern Jin, Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen) all regarded Zhenjiang as a key military stronghold.

The ancients made it very clear: if the military defenses of Zhenjiang are even slightly neglected, the danger to Jiangning Prefecture will be greater.

With the Southern Army stationed in Zhenjiang, the Song Dynasty was virtually invincible, as it could both attack and defend.

When the gentry and landlords of Jiangnan saw that the Southern Army had arrived in Zhenjiang, they felt much more at ease, thinking that the imperial court would soon send a large army to quell the Fang La rebels who had just begun to gain momentum.

Unexpectedly, after the Southern Army entered Zhenjiang, there was no further news.

Soon, Song Jiang's rebel army traveled by sea from Haizhou to Xiuzhou and entered Jiangnan.

After capturing Xiuzhou, Song Jiang's experienced rebel army immediately divided into several groups and conducted public trials everywhere. They killed all the officials, gentry, and landlords of Xiuzhou and looted a large amount of gold, silver, money, jewels, and valuables. They burned all the land deeds they obtained, then opened the granaries and distributed all the grain from the gentry and landlords to the local people.

Then, contrary to the expectations of all the gentry in Jiangnan, Song Jiang's rebel army had no intention of heading south to join Fang La's rebel army, or even to capture Hangzhou, the most important town in Jiangnan. Instead, they headed north and rushed straight for Suzhou.

The officials, gentry, and landlords in Suzhou, including Zhu Mian, never expected that Song Jiang's rebel army would attack Suzhou, where they were located, instead of Hangzhou.

—In the eyes of Zhu Mian and other gentry and landlords in Suzhou, if Song Jiang's rebel army went north, they would likely encounter the main force of the Song army and be wiped out by it.

What Zhu Mian and other officials, gentry and landlords in Suzhou never expected was that, although they had long sought help from the Southern Auxiliary Army stationed in Zhenjiang, the Southern Auxiliary Army never intended to move south and remained firmly stationed in Zhenjiang.

This resulted in the officials, gentry, and landlords of Suzhou missing their chance to escape.

What the officials, gentry and landlords of Suzhou did not expect was that just as Song Jiang's rebel army was attacking the city, Shi Sheng, a Suzhou native, led several hundred people to seize the city gate and let Song Jiang's rebel army into the city.

This resulted in the near-total annihilation of officials, gentry, and landlords in Suzhou by Song Jiang's rebel army.

Song Jiang's rebel army set up a hundred public trial tables in Suzhou and killed people for ten days and ten nights, leaving Suzhou with countless heads and rivers of blood. Zhu Chong and his son Zhu Mian were even tortured to death by Song Jiang's rebel army.

Despite the massacres perpetrated by Song Jiang's rebel army in Suzhou, the people of Suzhou were not filled with fear or resentment. On the contrary, they received gratitude and support from the people of Suzhou.

The people of Suzhou eagerly requested to join Song Jiang's righteous army, wanting to follow him in upholding justice.

After discussing with Yuwen Xuzhong, Song Jiang recruited 20,000 elite soldiers from Suzhou. Combined with the 10,000 elite soldiers recruited from Xiuzhou earlier, Song Jiang's rebel army now numbered 130,000.

Like Xiuzhou, Song Jiang's rebel army still did not occupy Suzhou, but instead handed it over to officials who could step down from the public trial platform, and continued to attack Huzhou...

The massacre perpetrated by Song Jiang's rebel army in Suzhou was like a storm that quickly swept through the entire gentry class in Jiangnan, causing them great shock and panic.

Those officials, gentry, and landlords who used to live a life of luxury and tyranny are now all in a panic.

The fact that the Southern Army remained inactive and held Zhenjiang firmly also made officials, gentry, and landlords secretly worry.

Some quick-thinking officials, gentry, and landlords finally realized that their previous resistance to the court's implementation of the two new policies had angered Zhao Yu, and that Zhao Yu might abandon them to their fate.
Some officials, gentry, and landlords quickly wrote letters to their officials in the court, asking them to find a way to persuade the court to send a large army to Jiangnan to suppress the rioters.

Some officials, gentry, and landlords, relying on their status and influence, went to Zhenjiang and demanded that Sun Lan and Wang Min send troops to protect them.

For example, Song You's wife, Song Fengxiang's father, Song Qiaonian.

Song Qiaonian was the grandson of the famous prime minister Song Xiang, and his father Song Chongguo was also a famous minister who rose to the rank of Grand Master of the Palace.

During the reign of Emperor Shenzong of Song, Song Qiaonian served as a supervisor in the Market Exchange Bureau. He not only abused his power to embezzle public property, but also colluded with prostitutes to seek personal gain.

These actions ultimately led to Song Qiaonian being dismissed from his post by Emperor Shenzong of Song and reduced to a commoner, where he lived in poverty for more than twenty years.

Until Cai Jing was highly valued by Zhao Yu, Song Qiaonian was able to serve as the Deputy Transport Commissioner of Liangzhe Circuit, and his two sons, Song Bian and Song Huan, were also able to serve as high-ranking officials in the court.

With such a family background, Cai Jing as his backer, and himself being one of the top officials in Jiangnan, Song Qiaonian's daughter was the legal wife of Cai Jing's eldest son, Cai You, and his two sons were not only high-ranking officials in the Song Dynasty, but also married the legitimate daughters of prominent families in Jiangnan. In Song Qiaonian's view, Sun Lan and Wang Min, whose official positions, backgrounds, and family backgrounds were far inferior to his, would definitely have to give him face and send a large army to Huzhou to protect them, or even send a large army to help them recapture Suzhou and Xiuzhou.

Therefore, at the request of many gentry and landlords, Song Qiaonian wrote a letter to Sun Lan and Wang Min seeking help. The letter read as follows:

I have heard that you two generals command the Southern Army and are stationed in Zhenjiang, guarding the gateway to Jiangning. The people of Jiangnan all look up to your mighty might for security. I have long known that you two generals are loyal and brave for the country. Now that there is an urgent crisis, I dare to ask you to take this matter into consideration.

Recently, the rebel Song Jiang has been rampant, invading the territory from Xiuzhou, slaughtering gentry, burning land deeds, and committing atrocities that are utterly heinous. Loyal men like Zhu Gongchong of Suzhou had hoped that General Song would lead his troops south to jointly resist the mad bandits. Unexpectedly, the bandits arrived suddenly, the city gates fell, and the entire city's gentry were nearly wiped out. Zhu Gongchong and his son were unjustly accused, their blood staining Suzhou—truly a tragedy unseen in Jiangnan for centuries!

The rebels are now growing stronger, leading a motley crew, and are eyeing Huzhou like wolves. They will soon invade our fertile land.

The people of Jiangnan eagerly awaited the arrival of the royal army.

I am an old man who has received the nation's favor for generations, and whose family has served in the imperial court for generations. I dare not fail to defend the country and protect its territory.

Unfortunately, the bandits are now rampant, and although we old folks are willing to fight them, we are powerless to do so as to have no soldiers.

The two generals command elite troops and are stationed at strategic locations. Their actions, whether advancing or retreating, are crucial to the safety of the southeast. If they could move their troops south to eliminate the rebels, they would surely alleviate the emperor's worries, bring peace to the people, and achieve great merit for the nation, leaving their names in history.

We, your humble servants, are willing to lead the gentry of Jiangnan to welcome the royal army with food and drink, and we will also contribute our utmost to support the army.

I humbly request that the General, mindful of the court's trust and aware of the perilous situation in Jiangnan, promptly dispatch his elite troops to rescue the people of Jiangnan from their suffering. My words are urgent and cannot be fully expressed; I respectfully request Your Majesty's continued well-being.
Song Qiaonian, Deputy Transport Commissioner of Liangzhe Circuit, bows respectfully.
October 28th, the eighth year of Hongwu
To Song Qiaonian and the others' surprise, Song Qiaonian's letter of appeal seemed to have sunk without a trace. Not only did they not receive any reinforcements from the Southern Army, but they also did not receive a single reply.

This cold silence was more chilling than any harsh rejection, and it shattered the last glimmer of hope in the hearts of the officials, gentry, and landlords of Jiangnan.

Soon, Song Qiaonian received a letter from Cai Jing.

Cai Jing told Song Qiaonian not to take any chances, but to abandon the land in Jiangnan immediately and leave Jiangnan, or his life would be in danger.

Not only Song Qiaonian received a warning letter from Cai Jing, but other officials, gentry and landlords in the south also received similar letters.

Some officials, gentry, and landlords in the south chose to trust their relatives, friends, protégés, and former subordinates in the court. They quickly abandoned everything, packed only some valuables, and took their families north to Zhenjiang. From Zhenjiang, they crossed the Yangtze River and left the south of the Yangtze River.

Although almost all the officials and gentry in the south knew that the officials in the court had ordered them to evacuate the south, a large number of officials, gentry and landlords, unwilling to give up their property, chose to recruit farmhands and soldiers to protect their assets.

These officials, gentry, and landlords who chose to remain did so not only out of a willingness to risk their lives for their wealth, but also because they did not believe that Zhao Yu would be willing to let the prosperous and wealthy Jiangnan region be reduced to ruins. After all, Jiangnan was the Zhao Song Dynasty's treasury and granary. They also did not believe that the court would sit idly by and watch the very foundation of the Zhao Song Dynasty be uprooted. After all, their ancestors had rendered meritorious service to the Zhao Song Dynasty, and their descendants, relatives, friends, students, and former officials were the pillars of the Zhao Song Dynasty. If the court were to stand by and watch them be slaughtered by the rebel armies of Song Jiang and Fang La, it would surely cause a sense of shared grief and loss, chilling the hearts of the scholar-officials and ultimately affecting the rule of the Zhao Song Dynasty.

Song Qiaonian was a representative of these officials, gentry, and landlords.

Song Qiaonian paid no attention to Cai Jing's good intentions. He had his clansmen recruit a lot of farmhands, and together with his own troops, he gathered a total of 3,000 men. He then formed an army of more than 30,000 men with farmhands recruited by other officials, gentry and landlords to guard Huzhou.

Seeing that they were so "strong and well-equipped", Song Qiaonian and others were even more confident in protecting their property and did not take Song Jiang's rebel army seriously at all.

However, reality soon dealt a heavy blow to Song Qiaonian and other officials, gentry, and landlords.

Although Song Jiang's rebel army lacked the sophisticated equipment of the imperial court's regular army, it was filled with high morale and fought with fearlessness because it absorbed oppressed refugees along the way.

The ragtag group of 30,000 officials, gentry, and landlords was nothing more than temporarily recruited farmhands and weak local militia. They were good at bullying others in peacetime, but when they faced Song Jiang's rebel army on the battlefield, their fatal flaws were instantly exposed.

Song Jiang employed a feint attack. First, he sent a small force to the south of Huzhou city to create a false impression of strength, beating drums and shouting, which lured Song Qiaonian to move his main force to the south of the city for defense. At the same time, the elite rebel army took advantage of the night and sailed along the hidden waterway to directly attack the weakly defended west of the city.

The key was that Lu Xing'er from Gui'an County, who had previously infiltrated the village's militia, led his men to cooperate from the inside.

By the time Song Qiaonian realized he had fallen into a trap, the west gate had already been opened by Lu Xing'er and his men, and shouts of battle filled the air.

In the chaos, officials, gentry, landlords, and servants trampled each other, creating utter chaos and making it impossible to organize any effective resistance. Song Qiaonian watched his carefully assembled army crumble like a receding tide, his heart filled with despair. He tried to command his servants to hold the line, but was overwhelmed by the fleeing crowd and later captured by Lin Chong, the leader of Song Jiang's rebel army.

Within a few hours, Huzhou fell. Song Jiang's rebel army stormed into the city. Officials, gentry, and landlords who had oppressed the people, along with their families and henchmen, were all captured and brought to trial. All their wealth was looted by Song Jiang's rebel army, all their land deeds were burned, and all their grain was distributed to the people.

Song Qiaonian and his family, believing themselves to be from a prominent Jiangnan clan, were entitled to the wealth and honor accumulated over generations. However, unexpectedly, the tide turned in a sudden turn of events, and their family's century-old foundation collapsed as easily as a sandcastle under the raging tide of Song Jiang's rebel army. They were brought before the public trial, facing the common people they had once regarded as ants. Their arrogance and disdain now turned into deep fear and helplessness.

Song Qiaonian and his group were right to be afraid, because the people they had exploited and oppressed had now become their judges. In the eyes of these people, there was no longer the awe and obedience of the past, only the anger of long-suppressed people and the flames of a desire to kill.

Amidst the furious shouts of "Kill! Kill! Kill!", not one in a hundred officials, gentry, and landlords survived the public trial.

The scene remained one of carnage and rivers of blood.

The headless corpse of Song Qiaonian, the grandson of the prime minister, the son of a famous minister, the in-law of the current prime minister, and the deputy transport commissioner of the court, also lay in this river of blood.

After handing Huzhou over to the officials who had stepped down from the public trial platform, Song Jiang's rebel army continued north, capturing Changzhou and Danyang in succession. Wherever they went, the local officials, gentry, and landlords were all sent to the public trial platform by Song Jiang's rebel army.

As Song Jiang's rebel army marched north, the Jiangnan region seemed to undergo an unprecedented storm, and the old order was completely overturned in the flames of anger. The fall of each city was accompanied by the wails of officials, gentry, and landlords and the cheers of the common people.

In this profound struggle over land, justice, and revenge, those once high-ranking and arrogant officials, gentry, and landlords almost all perished like fallen leaves in the autumn wind.

What truly chilled the hearts of officials, gentry, and landlords was that even when Song Jiang's rebel army came to their doorstep, the Southern Army showed no intention of engaging them in battle. They simply watched as Song Jiang's rebel army marched right under their noses toward Jiangning Prefecture to continue their righteous cause.

Soon after, the entire Jiangnan and northern regions were ravaged by Song Jiang's rebel army.

Having wiped out the parasites in both the north and south of the Yangtze River, Song Jiang's rebel army showed no lingering attachment and marched straight south to continue their righteous cause.

Song Jiang's rebel army was like a group of true knights-errant. They carried the banner of "acting on behalf of Heaven" and walked across the land of Jiangnan. Every step they took was on the back of corruption and injustice, while raising the dust of hope and freedom.

Perhaps Song Jiang, the leader of the Song Jiang rebels, could no longer distinguish whether he was carrying out the mission given to him by Zhao Yu, or pursuing a lofty ambition that transcended personal life and death, directly addressed the ills of the times, and helped Zhao Yu build a better ideal country, or perhaps he was just mocking Huang Chao for not being a true man...

……

(End of this chapter)