I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 327 A Humiliating Treaty Under Siege
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The Jin army attacked Goryeo in two routes, east and west. The eastern route followed the Helan Road, and the western route followed the Basufu Road. Details are as follows:
The Eastern Route Jin Army: advancing along the Helan Road. The southwestern border of the Helan Road General Administration Office borders the northeastern part of Goryeo. The Eastern Route Jin Army departs from places such as Hamhung, crosses the Jin-Goryeo border to the southwest, and heads straight for the important northeastern towns of Goryeo to seize grain and supplies. Depending on the situation, they will then cross the Seokryong Pass and march directly towards Gaegyeong, the capital of Goryeo.

The Western Route Jin Army advanced along the Posufu Road. The Posufu Road is close to the Yalu River, and the lower reaches of the Yalu River form the boundary with northwestern Goryeo. The Western Route Jin Army set off from Posufu, sailed down the Yalu River, crossed the river by boat, and attacked the northwestern border of Goryeo. The goal was to occupy key riverside locations such as Laiwon Fortress, which would ensure the transportation of subsequent troops and supplies and solidify the foundation for the advance.

After the battle plan was finalized, Wanyan Aguda appointed Wanyan Zonghan as the vanguard of the western Jin army and Wanyan Zongwang as the vanguard of the eastern Jin army.

Soon, the Jin army on the western route crossed the Yalu River, swept through cities such as Baozhou and Linzhou, and entered Goryeo territory.

On the Goryeo side, the border officials urgently reported to the court: "The Jin state has sent envoys, and their army has set out together with the envoys, heading straight into the heart of Goryeo. They will reach Seogyeong in no time and cannot be stopped!"

The Goryeo court was immediately alarmed upon hearing the news. Seogyeong was Goryeo's bulwark; if it fell, the Jin army could advance unimpeded.

King Yejong of Goryeo immediately dispatched General Tak Jun-kyung to defend Seogyeong, and at the same time urgently summoned civil and military officials to discuss countermeasures.

The atmosphere in the imperial court was heavy, with the officials discussing the matter at length but unable to reach a conclusion.

Some advocated holding Xijing (Xi'an) and waiting for the Jin army to tire themselves out before launching a counterattack; others suggested taking the initiative to attack, using offense as defense, and disrupting the Jin army's formation while they were still establishing themselves.

Soon after, an urgent report came from the direction of Helandian: the Jin army on the eastern route had swept through the important northeastern towns of Goryeo, seized a large amount of grain and supplies and transported them back to the Jin Kingdom, and was now rapidly advancing into the heart of Goryeo.

The battle report exploded like thunder in the Goryeo court, making the already heavy atmosphere even more oppressive. The faces of all the officials turned ashen, and the officials from both sides who advocated holding the line and attacking were now silent, filled with fear and unease.

The Jin Dynasty was no longer the Jurchen tribe that had been locked in a tug-of-war with Goryeo on the border, but a powerful dynasty that had just conquered the Liao Dynasty and annexed its territory.

For generations, Goryeo had been under the suzerainty of the Liao Dynasty. The fall of the Liao Dynasty was like a bolt from the blue, making Goryeo realize the formidable strength of the Jin Dynasty—a force capable of overthrowing a century-old suzerain state, which Goryeo could not easily contend with.

Wang Yu took his eldest and second daughters as concubines. His second daughter gave birth to the first son, Wang Kai, and thus rose rapidly in rank, becoming Vice Chancellor, Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Pillar of the State, and later Grand Chancellor, Grand Commandant, and bestowed with the title of Meritorious Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. Yi Ziqian stepped forward and said, “Our Goryeo is small and weak, and now the Great Jin is at its zenith; I fear we cannot withstand them. In my opinion, it would be better to temporarily agree to pay tribute to slow the military advance…”

Before Li Ziqian could finish speaking, Jin Fushi, a scribe in the Secretariat, stepped forward and retorted sharply: "Father-in-law, you are mistaken! Although the Jin state is strong, our Goryeo has been established for hundreds of years. Xijing is defensible, and Gaegyeong has 100,000 imperial guards. How can we surrender without a fight?"

As soon as Kim Boo-seok finished speaking, Hanlin Academician and Imperial Edict Drafter Jeong Ji-chang stepped forward and said, “The Imperial Secretary only knows how to fight, but not how to assess the situation. The Liao Dynasty has a vast territory and a million soldiers, yet it is still no match for the Jin Dynasty. Our Goryeo's military strength is less than one-tenth or one-twelfth of the Liao Dynasty's. How can we contend with it? In the past, when Liao was strong, we served Liao; now that Jin is strong, we serve Jin. This is the way for Goryeo to protect its country.”

These words resonated with many Goryeo ministers, and voices of agreement began to rise. Some mentioned the battles with the Jurchens at Helandian, where the two sides were evenly matched, but the Jin Dynasty was no longer the same as before. Even the Liao Dynasty could not withstand their attacks, let alone Goryeo.

Some even privately speculated that the Jin army's aggressive advance might not only demand provisions and silk, but also possibly force Goryeo to submit and pay hostages. If they fought, the consequences of the city's fall would be unimaginable; if they surrendered, though they would lose face, they could at least preserve their ancestral temples.

The thought of fighting versus surrendering tugs at Wang Yu's mind, but he could not make a decision. Fighting would be like throwing an egg against a rock; surrendering would be a betrayal of the foundation laid by his ancestors.

Just then, another urgent report entered the palace: After crossing the Yalu River, the Jin army under Wanyan Zonghan on the western route captured three riverside fortresses, including Laiyuan City, and was approaching Xijing along the Daedong River.

This urgent report was like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the last glimmer of hope in the court. The voices of the ministers who advocated war gradually subsided, while those who suggested temporarily avoiding conflict grew stronger. The atmosphere in the hall gradually shifted from initial debate to a pervasive sense of fear and helplessness.

Wang Yu quickly sent envoys to sue for peace, stating that Goryeo was willing to submit to the Jin Dynasty, just as it had previously recognized the Liao Dynasty as its suzerain state. He also sent envoys with a large number of gifts to Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Zongwang.

Unfortunately, the Jin Dynasty's attack on Goryeo was not aimed at subjugating Goryeo, but rather at draining Goryeo's resources to restore its strength.

Therefore, the envoys sent by Wang Yu were completely unable to stop the advance of the Jin army from both the east and west.

Faced with the peace treaty and gifts presented by the Goryeo envoy, Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Zongwang both gave a cold smile and put it out of their minds, continuing to command their troops to advance deep into the heart of Goryeo.

Wanyan Zongwang employed extremely swift tactics. Upon encountering a city, he would first launch a probing attack. If the defenders resisted stubbornly and the city proved difficult to breach, he would immediately bypass them without hesitation, marching swiftly towards the next target. His troops were like a sharp, swift knife, piercing straight into the heart of Goryeo. Along the way, he continuously recruited surrendered and routed Goryeo soldiers, incorporating them into the Meng'an-Muke and absorbing them into the Jin army. His strength grew rapidly, and by the time he reached Jiaozhou, his forces had expanded to 50,000 men. When attacking cities, he no longer needed to deploy his main force of 20,000 Jin troops; he could simply watch the Goryeo people fight amongst themselves.

In just over a month, the Jin army on the eastern route reached the gates of Gaegyeong.

Gaegyeong was the capital of Goryeo. The city was high and the moat was deep. Although the defending soldiers were afraid, they also knew that if the city fell, the country would perish. Therefore, they fought desperately.

Upon seeing this, Wanyan Zongwang did not rush to launch a strong attack. Instead, he first sent surrendered soldiers to persuade the city to surrender, while at the same time he divided his troops to clear out the outposts around Kaijing and the troops that came to the aid of the emperor, thus completely surrounding the capital.

Wanyan Zonghan's approach to warfare was completely different from that of Wanyan Zongwang. He always believed that he had to conquer every city he passed through, so that he would have no worries about the rear.

Therefore, after crossing the Daedong River, the western Jin army swept through all the cities along the way, and the grain, supplies, and prisoners of war were continuously sent back to the Jin state by Wanyan Zonghan.

In this process, Wanyan Zonghan selected the strongest and most capable men, expanded his forces, and quickly recovered the troops that had been wiped out by the Song army.

When they reached Xijing, the commander of Xijing, Tuo Junjing, knew that the city was vital to the country's survival. He led the army and people to defend the city and fight to the death.

Wanyan Zonghan led the Jin army on the western route in a fierce attack for more than a month. Although Xijing suffered heavy losses, it was never captured.

At this time, Wanyan Zonghan received a battle report from Wanyan Zongwang, learning that the Jin army on the eastern route had arrived at the gates of Kaijing.

Seeing that the credit for the destruction of Goguryeo might be snatched away by Wanyan Zongwang, Wanyan Zonghan was extremely anxious. Knowing that the opportunity was not to be missed, he left 10,000 troops to continue the siege of Xijing, while he personally led 60,000 to 70,000 troops south.

Along the way, Wanyan Zonghan continued to attack every city he encountered, but at a much faster pace than before.

By the time the western Jin army arrived at Gaegyeong, the eastern Jin army had already swept away all the key points near Gaegyeong, defeated the loyalist forces, and besieged the city for more than twenty days. The two Jin armies met outside Gaegyeong, their camps stretching for dozens of miles, their banners obscuring the sun, their momentum even stronger.

Inside the capital city of Kaesong, King Yu and his ministers gazed with deep concern at the dark mass of the Jin army camp outside the city.

On one hand, Wang Yu sent ministers to the Jin camp to continue seeking peace;
On the other hand, King Yu and his ministers actively defended the city, preparing to hold it and await reinforcements.

Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Zongwang's plan was to fight and negotiate simultaneously. Ideally, they would capture Gaegyeong, but even if they couldn't, they wanted to frighten Goryeo into signing a treaty of surrender to the Jin Dynasty and becoming its vassal state.

Gaegyeong, as the capital of Goryeo, had city walls built of stone blocks, nearly three zhang high and more than one zhang wide at the top, enough to allow several horses to gallop side by side; the moat outside the city was five zhang wide and three zhang deep, with fresh water drawn from the surrounding area, so it never dried up, and the riverbanks were reinforced with rammed earth, with hidden arrow towers and catapult bases, making its defense system extremely complete.

After the two Jin armies joined forces, Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Zongwang discussed the strategy for attacking the city in their tent: the eastern Jin army would be responsible for the east and south of the city, taking advantage of the familiarity with the terrain of the surrendered Goryeo soldiers they had incorporated, and would focus their attack on the relatively weak barbican of the south city; the western Jin army would attack the west and north of the city, with Jurchen heavy infantry as the vanguard, and would use catapults and battering rams captured from Goryeo to directly attack the main body of the city wall.

On the morning of the first day after the order to attack the city was given, the Jin army's battle drums thundered. From the north of the city, more than thirty catapults launched their attack first, sending boulders roaring across the moat and crashing into the north wall of Kaijing City. Stone chips and broken wood flew everywhere. Although the defenders on the city wall were prepared and had thick wooden shields to protect themselves, they were still shaken and their blood was churning. Every now and then, someone was hit by flying debris and fell to the ground with a scream.

In the south, Wanyan Zongwang drove his surrendered soldiers to charge forward carrying siege ladders. These soldiers were held back by the Jin army with swords and axes. Knowing that arrows were raining down from below, they had no choice but to press on. The Goryeo defenders on the city walls unleashed a torrential downpour of arrows, logs, and stones. The surrendered soldiers at the front were instantly riddled with arrows. Those behind them continued to advance, stepping over the corpses of their comrades. They finally managed to mount several siege ladders on the city walls, but as soon as soldiers tried to climb them, they were stabbed down by the defenders with halberds or drenched in molten gold, their skin torn open. The moat was quickly filled with corpses, and the water turned dark red.

The western part of the city was the most brutal battlefield. In order to capture Kaesong, Wanyan Zonghan endured the pain and ordered two thousand heavily armored infantrymen to wear two layers of iron armor, mingle with the surrendered soldiers, and, using the caves for cover, approach the city walls to launch an attack on Kaesong.

The "cave" is also known as the "cave house". It is made of wood with an arched roof frame, covered with cowhide, and its shape is similar to a cave or room. It can defend against arrows and ordinary cannonballs.

The Goryeo army used battering rams to knock down the siege ladders and then threw huge rocks from the city walls to destroy the tunnels.

The Jin army then brought in a massive battle tower. The tower was covered with cowhide and contained climbing frames; its height was almost equal to that of the Goryeo army's city walls. The Jin soldiers pushed the tower against the city wall and jumped directly from its top onto the Goryeo army's city walls.

Heavy infantrymen, clad in two layers of armor, braved arrows and stones to scale the city walls, their heavy armor making them impervious to arrows. Several hundred of these heavy infantrymen managed to reach the top of the walls, inflicting heavy losses on the Goryeo army.

Even more terrifying was that the Jin army behind them continued their relentless attack, charging over corpses.

Wang Yu stood atop the palace watchtower, watching the Jin army outside the city surge forward like ants swarming a dike, his hands trembling uncontrollably. Several times he sent envoys carrying the Imperial Seal and a letter of surrender out of the city gates, but they were all shot back by Jin archers. The envoys were either killed or wounded, and the letter of surrender was pierced by arrows and fell into the bloody moat.

Fortunately, a group of loyal Goryeo officials, led by Kim Bu-sik, took the lead and stood at the forefront. Some soldiers even risked their lives by jumping off the city wall with heavy infantrymen from the Jin Dynasty, which barely saved the city.

Seeing how powerful the Jin army was, Wang Yu disregarded the advice of the pro-war faction and immediately sent Zheng Zhichang to the Jin camp to negotiate peace on his behalf.

Seeing that Gaegyeong was indeed difficult to attack, Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Zongwang proposed that they could negotiate peace, but only if Wang Yu came out of the city to discuss the peace with them.

Initially, it was Wang Yu who dispatched Yin Guan, Wu Yanchong, and others to conquer the Jurchens and build nine cities in the northeast. They initially won but were later defeated, and eventually returned the nine cities to the Jurchens. Later, during the Liao-Jin War, it was Wang Yu who delayed the Liao Dynasty's request for military assistance and took the opportunity to seize Baozhou, renaming it Yizhou, thus extending Goryeo's territory to the Yalu River.

In Wang Yu's view, the Jin Dynasty's revenge against Goryeo was inextricably linked to him.

In order to atone for his sins, Wang Yu decided to leave the city to see Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Zongwang.

Of course, Wang Yu knew that his journey was very dangerous, so before leaving the city, he decreed that if anything happened to him, his son Wang Kai would succeed him to the throne.

After luring Wang Yu out of the city, Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Zongwang used Wang Yu as a hostage to extort large amounts of gold, silver, silk, various treasures, and three thousand young girls from the Goryeo subjects in Gaegyeong.

At the same time, Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Zongwang forced Goryeo to sign a vassal state agreement with the Jin Dynasty, demanding that Goryeo send 200,000 troops to help the Jin Dynasty fight.

Wang Yu was taken hostage.

They also threatened to besiege the city.

The ministers who remained behind had no choice but to accept the Jin dynasty's extortion and blackmail, fearing that the Jin might harm them.

In Li Ziqian's words: "Jin was once a small country that served Liao and us. Now it has risen suddenly, its government is well-governed and its army is strong. It is growing stronger every day and its borders are adjacent to ours. We have no choice but to serve it. Moreover, it is the way of the former kings to send envoys to inquire about the situation, since we are a small country serving a large one."

As a result, the people in the capital city squeezed every last drop of dirt to satisfy the Jin people's extortion.

At the same time, at the request of Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Zongwang, Wang Yu transferred the strongest Western Army of Goryeo to the front line of Song, Liao and Jin to participate in the war, and recruited 150,000 new troops as auxiliary troops to assist Jin.

When you're under someone's roof, how can you not bow your head?
The Goryeo ministers who remained in the capital could only act according to King Yu's orders.

As for whether this would offend the Song Dynasty, Wang Yu and his ministers no longer cared.

As a result, large numbers of soldiers, gold, silver, silk, various treasures, Korean beauties, and provisions were transported back to the Jin Dynasty, and even sent to the front lines of the Song, Liao, and Jin dynasties.

The Jin army's fighting strength recovered rapidly, at least according to the official figures.

Crucially, Wanyan Aguda's previously precarious rule was consolidated. At least in the short term, the Jin nobles who had gained substantial benefits would no longer dwell on the fact that Wanyan Aguda's defeat of Zhao Yu had caused the Jin dynasty enormous losses...

……

(End of this chapter)