I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 406 Observations from the Jin Kingdom to the Song Dynasty

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Since Wanyan Aguda's empress Qinxian (Heshilie clan), Consort De (Pusan ​​clan), Consort Yuan (Wugulun clan), Consort Chong (Xiao clan), and Lady Dunuke were captured in the Battle of Liaozhongjing, Wanyan Aguda never took any more concubines, nor even touched a woman.

Unlike the historical Zhao Gou, Wanyan Aguda was not shameless. His father, mother, wife, five daughters, and entire clan were trapped in Bianliang by the Jin people, yet he still had the mood to indulge in women. During this time, he even got Consort Pan pregnant with his son. Later, these people were captured and subjected to all kinds of humiliation by the Jin. He even wanted to make Consort Pan his empress, but this was opposed by the minister Lü Haowen. Therefore, he did not make her empress but instead made her Consort Xian.

Wanyan Aguda was truly ashamed that Zhao Yu had taken away his empress, all his concubines, and a large number of women from the Jin royal family, clan, and noble families. He vowed never to touch a woman again until he defeated Zhao Yu and took these women back.

It was precisely because Wanyan Aguda had such a shameful yet courageous attitude that even though the Jin Dynasty suffered repeated defeats, Wanyan Aguda remained the leader of the Jin Dynasty.

Of course, this is also because, under these circumstances, no one is willing or capable of taking over this mess.

In short, after the battle of Liaozhongjing, Wanyan Aguda had no women left.

In this way, among the Jin women captured by Song Jiang and his men, the wife of Wanyan Wuqimai, also known in history as Empress Qinren Tangkuo (Tangkuo Hui'er), was the most respected.

Tangkuo Huier comes from the Tangkuo clan. Her father was Tangkuo Alushu, who was granted the title of Grand Commandant and Duke of Song. Her grandfather was Tangkuo Kuanpi, who was granted the title of Minister of Works and Duke of Ying. Her great-grandfather was Tangkuo Alusuo, who was granted the title of Minister of Works and Duke of Wen. She comes from a very high social class. Her marriage to Wanyan Wuqimai was purely political. She married Wanyan Wuqimai after Wanyan Aguda established the Jin Dynasty. She is only twenty-six years old now and is very young.

Young, beautiful, and of noble status, just like Zhu Lian in history when he was captured and taken to the Jin Dynasty.

If the Song soldiers escorting these Jin women were as undisciplined as the Jin soldiers who escorted Northern Song women in history, then Tangkuo Hui'er and these Jin women would have suffered like Zhu Lian and the Northern Song women in history, not only being tortured but also being forced into prostitution.

Fortunately-

The escorting soldiers selected by Song Jiang were the most disciplined and elite among the old Liangshan troops. Moreover, Song Jiang personally instructed them: anyone who uttered even the slightest frivolous word or acted disrespectfully towards Jin Nu would be executed without mercy.

The crucial point is that all the escorts knew that these women were to be offered to Zhao Yu. Anyone who didn't even lift a finger, let alone protect or take good care of them, would face certain death.

Therefore, all the soldiers escorting the troops along the way treated Tangkuo Hui'er and the group of Jin women with the utmost reverence.

Before setting off each day, they would first check the condition of the carriage and lay out soft felt blankets to avoid bumps on the road. Their diet was also very refined, with meals prepared according to the regulations of the Song Dynasty nobility. The hot porridge and side dishes were changed every day, and even the drinking water had to be boiled and served in silver pots. If it rained or was windy, they would find a place to stay in advance and send someone to guard outside the carriage to keep away any unauthorized people.

As dusk fell, the escorting convoy set up camp on a river valley beach, with campfires scattered like stars. Song soldiers took turns on duty, their armor gleaming coldly in the firelight.

Suddenly, a scout reported that a cavalry force of three to five hundred men was approaching their location from the northwest.

Upon receiving the report, Yang Zhi and Lin Chong immediately said, "You stay here to protect them and make sure nothing happens to them. I'll go and repel the enemy."

Yang Zhi nodded and gave an order. All the Song cavalry immediately took their horses and prepared for battle, while the infantry raised their shields and surrounded the carriages, forming an impregnable defensive circle.

At the same time, Lin Chong led three thousand light cavalry into battle.

Before long, Lin Chong had driven off the small group of defeated Jin soldiers and returned in triumph.

When Lin Chong returned, Yang Zhi and Lin Chong immediately led men to check all the carriages. They breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that the carriage curtains were intact. Then, they reported in a deep voice to Tang Kuo Hui'er's carriage: "My lady, don't panic. The small group of bandits has been wiped out. You can rest assured."

Inside the carriage, Tang Kuo Hui'er's fingertips trembled slightly. The sound of swords clashing still echoed in her ears. Through the gap in the carriage curtain, she saw that the Song soldiers were responding in an orderly manner, maintaining a respectful distance from the carriage. No one dared to take the opportunity to spy, and only then did she feel relieved.

In the dead of night, Tang Kuo Hui'er tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Suddenly, she heard faint footsteps outside the carriage, followed by the captain's shout: "This is the residence of the royal women. You have dared to approach without permission. Do you want your entire family to be executed?"

Then came the sound of soldiers apologizing for taking the wrong path fading into the distance.

Tang Kuo Hui'er gently lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and saw two soldiers retreating with their heads down, while the captain on night watch still stood solemnly beside the carriage, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily. In the light of the campfire, his figure stood tall and straight like a pine tree, without the slightest slackness.

In another carriage, a member of the Jin royal family suddenly experienced abdominal pain. Upon noticing this, the guards immediately reported it to the captain on night watch.

The captain dared not delay and woke up the army doctor overnight. The doctor rushed over with his medicine box, examined the patient through the carriage curtain, and then wrote a prescription. The soldiers immediately lit a fire to boil the medicine and carefully handed the warm medicine into the carriage, bowing and saluting the whole time without daring to look up.

In general, although Tangkuo Hui'er was imprisoned, she did not suffer any humiliation. She was dressed in her fine brocade clothes, her hair was neatly combed, and every day she sat upright in the carriage. Through the gap in the carriage curtain, she could see the upright backs of the Song soldiers and their orderly marching ranks.

The same applied to the other daughters of the Jin royal family, imperial clan, and nobles; the Song soldiers never gave them a second glance, nor uttered a single offensive word.

A young Jin woman secretly shed tears because she missed her homeland. When the escorting officer saw this, he did not offer any words of comfort, but instead sent her a clean handkerchief and warm ginger soup. On the way, a female relative caught a cold, and the army doctor immediately came to treat her, prescribed medicine, and had someone prepare the medicine for her.

Such meticulous care, ironically, made these Jin women, who were accustomed to the rough and rugged atmosphere of Jinting, feel disoriented.

When the Jin Dynasty conquered the capital of the Liao Dynasty, some of the Liao women witnessed, or even experienced, the miserable plight of being escorted by Jin soldiers.

—Many of these Jin women were originally Liao women.

At that time, women in the Liao Kingdom were poorly clothed and starving, and suffered bullying day and night. Any resistance was met with beatings and verbal abuse.

The treatment they received at this moment far exceeded that of the women of the Liao Kingdom at that time, and even far exceeded the treatment that the captured people deserved.

The defenses of Tang Kuo Hui'er and other Jin women quietly cracked under this silent care. The grief of their country's destruction and their families' loss remained in their hearts, but the fear of the future had been quietly replaced by a thought that "perhaps it is not the end of the world."

This made them less resistant to the new life that was about to begin, and gradually gave rise to a faint expectation for the unknown future amidst the heart-wrenching pain of their country's destruction and their families' loss, instead of complete fear and resistance.

Under the careful escort of Yang Zhi, Lin Chong, and others, a group of Jin women arrived at Yongming City.

Here, Tangkuo Huier and the Jin women saw for the first time the Song Dynasty's treasure ships, which were even larger than the Jin Dynasty's palaces.

Most remarkably, the Song Dynasty's treasure ships also had numerous smokestacks, the purpose of which Tangkuo Hui'er and the other Jin women were completely baffled. Tangkuo Hui'er and the group of Jin women stood on the dock, their fingertips unconsciously clenching the hem of their clothes, their chests churning with indescribable shock. Their Jurchen fishing boats, at most two or three zhang long, were utterly incomparable to the Song Dynasty's treasure ships.

Standing by the ship and looking up, the shadow of the treasure ship completely enveloped them, like a moving city pressing down on their hearts.

They then looked at the dense array of Li Lin cannons on both sides of the treasure ships. They thought that just twelve Li Lin cannons had shattered the inner city gate of Jin Shangjing. If so many Li Lin cannons were moved to the side of Jin Shangjing, wouldn't they blast Jin Shangjing to the ground and turn everything in the city into dust?

At this moment, they finally realized that the Jin Kingdom's defeat and destruction were already destined when fighting against such a powerful Song Dynasty. The destruction of their country and the loss of their families were not accidental, but an inevitable outcome due to the disparity in strength. The last thought of resistance in their hearts also dissipated into the vast waves along with the sails of the treasure ship.

After boarding the treasure ship, Li Jun and the other generals, along with the Song Dynasty's naval officers and soldiers, treated Tang Kuo Hui'er and the group of Jin Dynasty women with even greater respect.

Li Jun had specially arranged a clean, tidy, and elegantly decorated cabin. The cabin was covered with soft Persian carpets, and the bedding on the bed was all brand new silk, exuding a faint fragrance. On the table were exquisite porcelain dishes, filled with fresh fruit and delicate pastries.

The moment Tangkuo Hui'er stepped into the cabin, she paused slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. She had been a Jurchen noblewoman since childhood and had lived in the Jin Dynasty's palace for many years, so she was certainly not ignorant. However, the exquisite furnishings before her still surprised her.

She slowly walked to the table, gently picked up a pastry and put it in her mouth. The delicate texture and sweet taste spread on her tongue, and she couldn't help but squint her eyes slightly.

The other Jin women also entered their respective cabins. Some were amazed by the layout of the cabins, while others carefully touched the exquisite objects. Their eyes showed both fear of the unknown life ahead and a hint of anticipation.

During the voyage, Li Jun would personally come every day to inquire about the needs of Tang Kuo Hui'er and other women of high status in the Jin Kingdom, ensuring that they lived comfortably and without worry on the ship.

Even the women of the Jin dynasty, both officials and commoners, received extremely meticulous care.

The Song Dynasty naval officers and soldiers always maintained a respectful attitude towards them. Whether delivering meals or passing items, they were always polite and never offended them in the slightest.

After boarding the ship in Yongming City, Li Jun and his fleet, which was escorting the Jin women, arrived at Dengzhou Port in just over ten days.

The port of Dengzhou became even more bustling.

The dock was filled with sails, with vermilion treasure ships and merchant ships from various countries lined up side by side, and the Song Dynasty dragon flag and foreign flags on the masts complementing each other.

The coastline was lined with warehouses, and camel caravans and all kinds of motorized and non-motorized vehicles came and went in an endless stream. The scents of silk, porcelain, and spices, along with the industrial oil and exhaust fumes emanating from various machinery, mingled with the sea breeze and permeated the surrounding area.

Foreign merchants of different skin colors, dressed in strange costumes, negotiated prices with Song merchants with clasped hands. Children chased after peddlers who were hawking their wares. In the distance, when official ships docked, soldiers in neat formations stood at attention to greet them. It was a scene of prosperity and bustling activity, with all nations converging.

Seeing the prosperity of the Song Dynasty, Tangkuo Hui'er and the group of Jin women felt like "Grandma Liu visiting the Grand View Garden".

Many of them had thought that the capital of the Jin Dynasty, Jin Shangjing, was the most powerful and prosperous place in the world. But now, standing in Dengzhou Port of the Song Dynasty, they were surprised to find how narrow-minded they had been.

The exotic treasures brought by foreign merchants and the exquisite items sold by Song merchants all demonstrate the wealth and inclusiveness of the Song Dynasty.

Tangkuo Hui'er and a group of Jin women traveled by train from Dengzhou to Bianliang (Kaifeng), the capital of the Jin dynasty.

On the Dengzhou platform, six dark green trains stood side by side. Each train had eighteen carriages and two locomotives, one at the front and one at the back.

This was because the trains in the Song Dynasty were still not very powerful, so Ma Xiaojiao followed Zhan Tianyou's example and used two locomotives, one pulling and one pushing, to increase the power of the trains.

Its chimney emits pale white steam, and its brass valves and connecting rods have a matte finish. It is equipped with a vertical boiler with a rated power of 150 horsepower.

Each carriage is three zhang long and seven chi wide, with a pine wood frame covered with sheet metal and light brown wood grain paper lining the inner walls. Frosted glass lamps hang from the ceiling, providing a warm light.

The carriage is covered with a one-inch thick wool carpet, making no noise when walking; on both sides are high-backed seats facing each other, with dark purple velvet on the seat surface, cotton padding inside, and solid wood armrests.

Each seat is accompanied by a foldable wooden table with white porcelain tea sets and pastries wrapped in oil paper. A cast iron stove with copper sheeting is placed in the corner of the carriage to prevent burns.

The car windows are made of single-layer thick glass, which can insulate against sound but still produce a slight rumbling sound.

After the train started, the roar gradually stabilized. At a constant speed, it could travel 60 li per hour (equivalent to about 45 kilometers per hour in modern times), and at its fastest, it could travel 75 li per hour.

These trains stopped at three stations along the way—Qingzhou, Jeju, and Yanzhou—to replenish water and coal.

The journey from Dengzhou to Bianliang (Kaifeng) was 1,200 li (approximately 600 kilometers). Including stops, it took a total of 15 hours to reach Bianliang, shortening the journey by about seven days compared to the carriage trip.

Tang Kuo Hui'er and the group of women from the Jin Kingdom gazed at the post stations and fields rushing past the window, secretly marveling at the power of the Song Dynasty.

When Tangkuo Hui'er and the group of women from the Jin Kingdom arrived in Bianliang, the capital of the Eastern Capital, they were even more amazed.

This place has now become a semi-feudal, semi-industrialized international metropolis.

Everything here made Tang Kuo Hui'er and the women of the Jin Kingdom feel somewhat unreal, and also made them feel that the Jin Kingdom's defeat to the Song Dynasty was not unjust at all.

The crucial point is that the capital city of Bianliang (Kaifeng) is about to be abandoned, and the Song Dynasty will move its capital from Bianliang to Beijing.

Tangkuo Hui'er couldn't help but wonder, 'If the former capital of the Great Song Dynasty was already so prosperous and powerful, what will the new capital be like?'

Driven by this deep curiosity, Tangkuo Huier and a group of women from the Jin Kingdom entered the Song Dynasty palace, beginning their new lives...

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(End of this chapter)