I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 394 Zhao Yu VS Wanyan Aguda: The Ultimate Battle

...

Zhao Shou dared not hide anything from his father, Zhao Yu, and told him all his current insights in detail, hoping to receive his father's corrections.

Zhao Yu listened patiently to Zhao Shou's insights on governing the Song Dynasty.

The father and son chatted for more than two hours, and even had a meal together in between.

Finally, Zhao Yu concluded: "You have gained a great deal in the past few years, but your knowledge is limited to local military and political affairs. You are still not familiar with the various matters of the court. You still need to study diligently in the future."

Zhao Shou breathed a sigh of relief. He was really afraid that his father would make him shoulder the responsibility of the still developing Song Dynasty. If that were the case, it would be an unbearable burden for him.

Zhao Shou listened attentively to his father's admonition, his fingers unconsciously tightening around the jade belt at his waist. The huge weight that had been hanging over his heart finally settled. The forced composure he had maintained during their earlier conversation gradually faded, replaced by a relieved ease in his eyes. He understood that his father's words, "Still needs to work hard," were both an acknowledgment of his past growth and a valuable buffer period.

These years of experience have allowed him to witness the tragic plight of people displaced after the Yellow River breached its banks, to experience the tense atmosphere of border military camps on high alert, and to handle complex government affairs such as taxation, water conservancy, and criminal justice in the state government.

But whenever the night was quiet, when he thought of the intricate factional struggles in the court, the irreconcilable conflict with the Jin Dynasty, and the dilemma his father faced when implementing new policies—balancing the people's livelihood with the interests of the aristocratic class—he felt the weight of the burden on the emperor's shoulders.

It's like a boatman who has just learned to steer; he can barely handle the wind and waves on shallow rivers, but he doesn't yet have the skill to steer a giant ship on the vast ocean.

Now that he sees that his father is still willing to give him a chance to make up for his shortcomings, he feels a little more at ease.

Next, he could accompany his father, the emperor, to participate in court discussions, observing how his father made decisions amidst debates among officials and how he calmly planned and deployed resources when the borders were in crisis. He could also gain experience in key departments such as the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War, understanding the intricacies of the national treasury's revenue and expenditure, becoming familiar with the rules of troop deployment, and even using his father's name to communicate with veteran officials who had long held high positions, learning their tact and wisdom in handling government affairs.

Zhao Shou secretly resolved that he must not slack off and must study diligently. When he finally took over the Song Dynasty, he would not only continue the development established by his father, but also ensure that the people lived in peace and prosperity, and that the borders were secure. He would prove with concrete achievements that he was capable of supporting this vast land.

At this moment, Zhao Shou was no longer eager to prove himself, but rather, with reverence and expectation, he quietly awaited the day when he would be able to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the world.

Zhao Yu simply handed Zhao Shou over to Cai Jing, instructing him to learn how to govern the country from Cai Jing...

……

The Song Dynasty's liberation of Goryeo and the recovery of Giji were like a boulder thrown into a tranquil lake, stirring up huge waves and causing great turmoil in Northeast Asia, making all parties uneasy.

Goryeo, a kingdom with a history spanning over two centuries, once enjoyed a glorious period of independence. Its founding monarch, Wang Geon, with his exceptional talent and strategy, conquered Later Baekje and Silla, unifying the Korean Peninsula amidst chaos and establishing the Wang dynasty's Goryeo, laying the foundation for its rule. At its peak, its territory expanded northward from the Daedong River, and taking advantage of the conflict between the Liao and Jin dynasties, it pushed its borders to the mouth of the Yalu River, even briefly occupying the Helandian region, reaching its zenith. Domestically, successive monarchs reformed the government, developed agriculture and commerce, perfected centralized power, and, adopting Central Plains culture as their foundation, vigorously promoted education and encouraged cultural development, creating a rich cultural atmosphere and achieving remarkable success. Externally, although it had to navigate the complexities of powerful neighbors like the Liao and Jin dynasties, it also managed to protect itself through flexible diplomacy, and even secretly maintained friendly relations with the Song dynasty, securing a place for itself in the political landscape of Northeast Asia.

But times have changed, and Goryeo, which was once quite powerful, has completely disappeared into the long river of history!
The key question is whether the Song Dynasty's annexation of Goguryeo, which significantly expanded its territory northeastward, would lead it to stop its expansionist policies. If the Song Dynasty did not stop, who would be the next "Goryeo"? And could it escape the crushing blow from the unprecedentedly powerful Song Dynasty in terms of military, politics, and economy?
Okay, let's get straight to the point.

Even a fool could see that after the Song Dynasty annexed Ji, its next target would definitely be the Jin Dynasty.

After all, looking across Northeast Asia, it seems that perhaps only the Jin Dynasty remains as a major threat to the Song Dynasty.

Wanyan Aguda and his ministers were well aware of this, and they had plotted to cut off the Song Dynasty's sea route for supplying grain and military equipment to Liaodong.

After all, from the Qin and Han dynasties to the Sui and Tang dynasties, many dynasties in the Central Plains tried to take over the Northeast, but due to logistical difficulties, they were eventually dragged down by the vast black soil and grasslands and had no choice but to retreat to the Central Plains in disappointment.

However, Liu Fa and Song Jiang had already taken up positions at the strategic Liaodong Pass, while Zhong Shidao and Li Gang were stationed in the Liaodong Peninsula, forming an impregnable barrier to cut off all communication between the Jin Kingdom and Jidi.

Later, the Song army recovered Jibei, and Chen Gou, Zhong Shizhong, Liu Qi and others completely sealed off the border area between Jibei and the Jin state.

This left the main force of the Jin army bogged down in a quagmire, making it impossible for them to spare troops to intervene in the war against Goryeo.

Even more fatally, in the many years of fighting between the Song and Jin dynasties, the Jin state has almost never achieved a major victory, and every defeat has been accompanied by the loss of a large number of elite troops. Now, more than 70% of the core fighting force of the Jin army (that is, the Jurchen elites) has been killed or wounded. Now, Jurchen elders over sixty years old and Jurchen children as young as twelve or thirteen years old are already on the battlefield. The signs of the country's decline have long been evident.

Beset by internal and external troubles, the Jin Dynasty could no longer provide aid to Goryeo, and its internal problems were beginning to erupt one after another.

The most pressing issue is the problem of the remnants of the Liao dynasty.

As the situation deteriorated, Jin Ting's suspicion and wariness towards the Khitans and Han people within its borders deepened.

At the urging of important ministers such as Wanyan Zonghan, Wanyan Zongwang, and Wanyan Zonggan, Wanyan Aguda issued a harsh edict: wherever there were Khitans and Han people living together within the territory, Jurchens must be stationed to monitor them and report their words and actions in real time. Once any signs of rebellion were detected, they would be killed without exception.

This edict ignited the fury of the Liao dynasty's remnants, with the most vehement reaction coming from Yelü Mawu, a member of the Khitan royal family. He had been a formidable Khitan general in the Jin dynasty, second only to Yelü Yudu, and had followed Wanyan Aguda in his campaigns, achieving great military exploits. However, because the Jin people feared the power of the Khitan, Wanyan Aguda transferred him to the northern border of the Jin dynasty to serve as a minor commander of a thousand households.

Jin Ting clearly regarded the Khitans and Han people as thorns in his side. Yelü Mawu could no longer tolerate this and was even more worried that Jin Ting would take the initiative to eliminate them. Therefore, he decided to take the initiative and start a rebellion against Jin.

Yelü Ma Wu knew that he could not contend with the Jin Dynasty on his own. Therefore, before launching his rebellion, Yelü Ma Wu secretly sent his confidants to Liaoning Road to meet with Liu Fa, the main general of the Song army, and Song Jiang.

Only after receiving a clear reply from the Great Song Dynasty that they would fully support their uprising did Yelü Mawu dare to formally raise the banner of rebellion in the Long'an and Hanzhou areas.

To the surprise of Wanyan Aguda and his ministers, Yelü Mawu's call to action was met with enthusiastic responses from the Khitan, Han, Bohai, and other ethnic groups who had long been oppressed by the Jurchen aristocracy.

Within a month, Yelü Mawu's rebel army had swelled to tens of thousands. With supplies secretly provided by the Song Dynasty, they were equipped with superior armor and numerous warhorses, becoming a force to be reckoned with within the Jin Dynasty. Upon learning this, Wanyan Aguda was furious and immediately ordered Wanyan Xieye, the commander of Xianping Road, to lead his Jin army and the troops of the various steppe tribes who had submitted to him, to swiftly suppress Yelü Mawu's rebellion, attempting to nip it in the bud.

In an effort to expedite the suppression of the rebellion, Wanyan Aguda offered an exorbitant reward: claiming that every ounce of Yelü Mawu's bones was worth one ounce of gold and every ounce of his flesh was worth one ounce of silver, attempting to bribe desperate men with such high rewards to assassinate Yelü Mawu from within and demoralize the rebel army.

Clearly, Wanyan Aguda and his ministers were still calculating the strategy of "pacifying the internal situation before resisting external aggression".

Soon, the Jin army and the rebel army clashed for the first time at Dijinaoer.

Upon receiving Yelü Ma Wu's plea for help, Liu Fa and Song Jiang immediately ordered Han Shizhong to lead 30,000 elite cavalrymen of both Han and non-Han ethnicities to rush to Yelü Ma Wu's aid.

With Han Shizhong's cooperation, Yelü Mawu not only defeated the Jin army led by Wanyan Xieye in one fell swoop, but also severely damaged the Jin army, consolidating the foundation of the newly established rebel army.

When news of the defeat reached the Jin capital, the court and the public were shaken and filled with anxiety.

Inside the main hall of the Jin capital, the atmosphere was so heavy it was almost palpable.

Wanyan Aguda's face turned ashen.

"Your Majesty! The Song army and Ma Wulian have annihilated our elite troops, and the fate of our Great Jin Dynasty is hanging by a thread! Now we can only send envoys to beg for peace, cede the land of Liaodong, and offer gold, silk, and hostages, so that we may be able to buy ourselves some breathing room." Wanyan Zongpan, the eldest son of Wanyan Wugumai, stepped forward first, his voice filled with undisguised urgency.

After Wanyan Zongpan finished speaking, Wanyan Chang, a member of the Jin dynasty's royal family, a general, the son of Emperor Muzong of Jin Wanyan Yingge, and the cousin of Wanyan Aguda, immediately stepped forward to echo: "Zongpan is absolutely right! The Song army is strong and well-equipped, and has powerful firearms, making it difficult to defeat them. Now our army is filled with the old and weak, and even eleven or twelve-year-old children are sent to the battlefield, making it difficult to resist. If this continues, our Great Jin will surely be destroyed by the Song. At that time, when the Song army breaks through our capital, they will kill all the men, capture all the women, burn down the palaces, and take all the gold and silver."

Wanyan Aguda's sixth son, Wanyan Zongjun, agreed to the peace proposal, saying, "The peace talks and surrender are a temporary way to avoid the sharp edge and wait for the national strength to recover before making further plans. Now that the Song Dynasty is strong and the Jin Dynasty is weak, if we stubbornly resist, we will only face certain death. Only by learning from Goryeo's way of serving the strong can our Great Jin Dynasty have a glimmer of hope."

"Nonsense!" Wanyan Zonghan slammed his hand on a pillar in the court, his eyes wide with anger. "The traitorous Song Dynasty is bound to swallow our Great Jin. Today they cede Liaodong, tomorrow they will demand Shangjing. Those who seek peace are drinking poison to quench their thirst!"

Wanyan Zongwang stepped forward, his tone firm: "Nianhan is absolutely right! Our Jurchens rose from the Changbai Mountains and the Heilongjiang River, and with our bravery we defeated the Liao. How can we submit to the Song? Even if only one soldier remains, we will fight to the death, rather die than live in dishonor!"

Wanyan Zonggan calmly analyzed: "Since assuming the throne, the Song emperor has always harbored ambitions to conquer the four seas. His intentions are clear; he desires to emulate the Qin Emperor's great achievement of unifying the six kingdoms. In the past, Emperor Wu of Han defeated the Xiongnu in the north, expanding the territory by thousands of miles; Emperor Taizong of Tang decisively defeated the Turks, subduing all directions. The Song emperor has long admired the sages of the past and vowed to restore the old territories of the Han and Tang dynasties. However, our Great Jin, occupying Liaodong, is precisely a huge obstacle to the northern border of the Song. The 'barbarians' mentioned by the Song people are primarily referring to our Great Jin!"

After a pause, Wanyan Zonggan glanced at the ministers advocating peace and continued, "The Song Dynasty's conquest of Goguryeo was not merely for territorial expansion, but to eliminate our wings. Now their military might is pointing directly to the northeast. If our Great Jin Dynasty still exists, the north of the Song Dynasty will be difficult to pacify, and the achievements of Emperor Wu of Han and Emperor Taizong of Tang will also be difficult to accomplish."

"Therefore, Song is determined to destroy us, not because of personal grudges, but to achieve its imperial ambitions. Even if we negotiate peace today, ceding Liaodong and offering gold and silk, Song will not be satisfied and will soon march on the capital. With the momentum of destroying Liao and defeating Goryeo, and with Ma Wu as an inside ally, how could they allow our Great Jin to catch its breath?"

“What Nianhan and Wulubu said is invaluable advice. If our Jurchens abandon their spirit and become slaves, even if they survive for a time, they will not escape the calamity of extermination. Only by preparing our troops and fighting to the death with the Song Dynasty can we have a glimmer of hope!”

The court was instantly divided into two factions: the pro-war faction and the pro-peace faction, each holding their own views and arguing endlessly.

Wanyan Zongpan, Wanyan Chang, Wanyan Zongjun and others argued that the Jin state was now beset by internal and external troubles, with uprisings and a shortage of troops, and was simply unable to contend with the Song Dynasty.

Meanwhile, Wanyan Zonghan, Wanyan Zongwang, Wanyan Zonggan, and others were filled with righteous indignation, vowing to fight the Song Dynasty to the death and never compromise.

The two argued heatedly, their faces turning red, and they even nearly drew their swords against each other.

Just then, Wanyan Aguda slowly rose from the dragon throne. His dragon robe, which combined nomadic characteristics with elements of Central Plains culture, swayed slightly with his movement. The hall fell silent instantly, and everyone's eyes were focused on him.

Wanyan Aguda's gaze swept over the assembled officials in the hall, and he said in a deep voice, "Others may not know, but I do. Zhao Yu is determined to destroy our Great Jin, and he already sees our Great Jin as his own. He will never negotiate peace with our Great Jin. If we beg for peace today, the Song army will surely be at Shangjing tomorrow, and then we will have no chance to resist the enemy!"

Wanyan Aguda's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority: "Our Jurchen people have always stood firm in the world with their courage and spirit. In the past, we defeated the Liao with our youth. Although we are in dire straits now, how can we lose our ambition!"

Wanyan Aguda walked to the center of the hall, drew his scimitar, and pointed it outside: "Issue my decree: conscript soldiers throughout the country. Anyone over ten years of age, regardless of gender or age, who can draw a bow, shall be enlisted. All gold and silk from the treasury shall be used for military supplies. Nianhan and Wulubu shall lead their troops to quell the rebellion of Ma Wu, and the rest shall follow me to resist the Song army and march north!"

Seeing this, the pro-peace ministers all looked desperate, but dared not say another word.

Wanyan Zonghan, Wanyan Zongwang, Wanyan Zonggan, and other advocates of war were invigorated. They knelt on one knee and loudly accepted the decree: "Your Majesty, we obey! We swear to fight the Song to the death and will not fail you!"

Upon receiving the imperial decree, the entire Jin state mobilized immediately. Local governments forcibly conscripted soldiers, forcing countless Jin people to bid farewell to their families, take up arms, and head to the battlefield; large amounts of gold and silver in the treasury were requisitioned, and craftsmen worked day and night to forge weapons and armor; Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Zongwang quickly assembled troops to quell the rebellion; and Wanyan Aguda once again personally led an expedition to prepare for a decisive battle with Zhao Yu.

However, the Jin Dynasty's predicament was not alleviated. The forced conscription sparked discontent among the people, and small-scale rebellions even broke out in many areas; the treasury was empty, food supplies were scarce, soldiers often went hungry, and morale was low; Yelü Ma Wu's rebel army, with the support of the Song Dynasty, continued to grow in strength and repeatedly defeated the Jin army's encirclement and suppression.

Meanwhile, the Song army was also making active preparations.

Liu Fa, Song Jiang, Zhong Shidao, Li Gang, Chen Gou, Zhong Shizhong and others each led large armies to besiege Liaodong.

Young generals who had just risen to prominence, such as Yue Fei, Wu Jie, Han Shizhong, and Liu Qi, were also on standby at any time.

Once the time is right, Zhao Yu will personally lead the army to command this crucial battle to destroy the Jin dynasty, marching north to capture the Jin capital...

……

(End of this chapter)