I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 410 The Debate Between Natives and Transmigrators

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As the greatest boss of the Song Dynasty, the Song Emperor, Zhao Yu could not meet with any envoy sent by the Jin Dynasty immediately.

—By the time Zhao Yu met with the Jin envoy, it meant that the matter had been largely resolved.

This can be considered an unspoken rule in politics.

As for the reason?

Firstly, Zhao Yu was the emperor, the supreme ruler. If he easily summoned the envoy, he would be at a disadvantage for being "eager to respond." By having his subordinates handle the situation first, he could ascertain the true intentions, bottom line, and bargaining chips of the Jin envoy. He could also lower the Jin's expectations through repeated maneuvering. When the time was right, the emperor could then step in and make the final decision, thus gaining a more advantageous position and demonstrating the majesty and composure of the Song Dynasty.

Secondly, negotiations between nations are fraught with hidden traps in the words exchanged. If Zhao Yu were to confront the envoy directly, he could easily find himself in a passive position, or even trigger a diplomatic crisis that could threaten the very foundation of the state with a single inappropriate remark. By having his subordinates filter out irrelevant probing and disputes, and clarify the core conflicts and solutions, the emperor could then make the final decision on the most suitable approach, thus minimizing the risk of decision-making errors arising from direct confrontation.

Thirdly, feudal courts emphasized the distinction between ruler and subject, with each fulfilling their respective duties. Foreign affairs were handled by specialized officials. If Zhao Yu had bypassed his subordinates and handled matters directly, it would have rendered the officials responsible for diplomacy ineffective, weakening the bureaucratic system and disrupting established political rules. Having subordinates negotiate first, followed by Zhao Yu's final decision, demonstrated trust and reliance on the bureaucratic system. This hierarchical operation also reinforced the supreme authority of the emperor; in other words, subjects were the implementers, while the emperor was the mind that controlled the direction. This orderly system ensured the stability of the dynasty.

Therefore, the fact that Song Jiang and the others asked Zhao Yu whether he had met Wanyan Yinshuke and Nalan Ang only shows that they had already reached a pretty good agreement with Wanyan Yinshuke and Nalan Ang.

Zhao Yu asked directly, "What conditions did Agu offer?"

Song Jiang replied:
"The Jin ruler said that everything that our Great Song Dynasty gained from the Jin Dynasty should be considered as war reparations from our Great Song Dynasty; his family wanted to use Baishan, Songwajiang, and Huntongjiang as the boundary, with the south belonging to our Great Song Dynasty and the north belonging to his Jin Dynasty."
Secondly, we requested Your Majesty to release all members of the Jin royal family, clan, nobles, and officials, but we did not request Your Majesty to return the Jin women.

Third, the two countries will establish several border markets to facilitate fair trade and mutual development.
Fourth, the Jin state could become a vassal state of the Song Dynasty. This can be discussed further, such as establishing a relationship like that between father and son, uncle and nephew, or brothers.

Fifthly, the Jin ruler has heard that His Majesty has many daughters; perhaps one could be chosen to serve as Empress in the Jin Kingdom…

Zhao Yu tapped his fingertips lightly on the imperial desk as he listened to Song Jiang recount the peace terms offered by Wanyan Aguda. His eyes remained calm, but he had already thoroughly understood Aguda's intentions.

"North of Baishan and the Hunhe River..."

In fact, the western section is bounded by the Songhua River, with a section of the main stream of the Songhua River forming a natural boundary between Heilongjiang Province and Jilin Province; the eastern section is bounded by a section of the Changbai Mountain range, with the watershed of the mountain range becoming a natural geographical boundary between Heilongjiang Province and Jilin Province.

In other words, Wanyan Aguda only wanted Heilongjiang Province.

Although part of this area was originally part of the Liao Dynasty's territory, most of it was the hunting and fishing grounds of the Jurchen people for generations. It can be said that Wanyan Aguda did not dare to make exorbitant demands.

Song Jiang, standing by, advised, “Your Majesty, you are wise. The Jin ruler’s proposal is that he has truly abandoned his ambition to conquer the Central Plains. It is inevitable that he wants to release the Jin royal family and officials; his request to establish a border market is intended to allow the people to recuperate through trade; as for the status of vassal, whether father and son, uncle and nephew, or brothers, we can choose one. There is no lower position than this. In my humble opinion, this is not negotiation, but rather a plea for Your Majesty to show leniency.”

While Song Jiang's analysis wasn't entirely correct, it did contain some merit.

Wanyan Aguda's gesture was intended to mislead Zhao Yu and his ministers into believing that he had submitted, rather than suggesting that "a gentleman's revenge is never too late." He believed that the current situation was extremely unfavorable for the Jin Dynasty, and that they should stop the war at all costs, recuperate, and allow the Jurchens to survive for a while, have more able-bodied men, and then try to acquire firearms from the Song Dynasty before challenging them again.

As for the clause about "choosing a princess as the empress of the Jin Dynasty," it wasn't Wanyan Aguda taking advantage of Zhao Yu.

How could an emperor be willing to become the son-in-law of another country's emperor just because he coveted a princess from another country, thus making his own country a generation inferior to that country?
The key is that this so-called "princess" from another country—if that country treats you well and gives you a princess of the royal family, that's already good enough. But if that country goes too far and only gives you a palace maid, and one who isn't very good-looking, or even ugly, you'll have to accept it even if you have to hold your nose.

More importantly, this was a practice highly regarded by northern nomadic and hunting peoples as a way to indicate social status.

The most typical example is that Yelü Yanxi married Yelü Nanxian to Li Qianshun, making Yelü Nanxian the empress of Western Xia.

This was actually a political tactic employed by the Liao Dynasty to maintain control over the Western Xia.

Although the Liao Dynasty was in decline at that time, it still needed to stabilize its western border and incorporated the Western Xia into the Liao political system through marriage.

As a member of the Liao imperial family, Yelü Nanxian represented the authority of the Liao Dynasty. Her position as empress was a "power wedge" that the Liao Dynasty planted in the Western Xia court.

Since the Western Xia received the "favor" of the Liao Dynasty, it was necessary to nominally submit to the Liao Dynasty and become a barrier in the western border of Liao. This move not only restrained the potential alliance between the Western Xia and the Song Dynasty, but also weakened the Western Xia's centrifugal tendencies through blood ties. It was a brilliant arrangement to maintain the Liao Dynasty's western hegemony at the lowest cost.

If the sons of Yelü Nanxian and Li Qianshun (such as Li Ren'ai, who died under mysterious circumstances) were to inherit the throne of Western Xia, it would mean that Khitan blood had been injected into the bloodline of the Western Xia royal family.

This was not a simple bloodline integration, but a far-sighted strategy by the Liao Dynasty to achieve long-term influence through "bloodline penetration".

—When the blood of the Liao dynasty flowed in the veins of the Western Xia monarchs, their sense of identity with the Liao dynasty would be subtly strengthened. Even when the Liao dynasty's national strength declined, this blood connection could become a "soft constraint" on the Liao-Xia relationship, forcing Western Xia to take into account its kinship with the Liao dynasty when making decisions, thus continuing the Liao dynasty's indirect control over Western Xia.

This is exactly the same situation that Zhao Yu is now facing.

Wanyan Aguda's request to marry Zhao Yu's daughter as the Empress of the Jin Dynasty was not out of lust, but rather to replicate the political logic of the Liao-Xia alliance through marriage.

If Zhao Yu were truly willing to marry one of his daughters to Wanyan Aguda, and she were to bear him a son who could eventually ascend the throne of the Jin Dynasty, then the Jin royal family would bear the mark of Zhao Yu's bloodline.

This bloodline was the invisible shackle that allowed the Song Dynasty to restrain the Jin Dynasty—it made the Jin Dynasty hesitant to confront the Song Dynasty due to the kinship within the royal bloodline, and it also allowed the Song Dynasty to use the name of "relatives of the emperor" to infiltrate the core of the Jin Dynasty's power.

Therefore, while Wanyan Aguda appeared to be seeking the princess's hand in marriage, he was actually actively binding the future of the Jin Dynasty to Zhao Yu's bloodline in exchange for Zhao Yu's tacit approval of the Jin people's continued existence.

If Zhao Yu agrees, he will use a marriage alliance as bait, using the "soft rope" of blood ties to firmly bind the temporarily dormant tiger of the Jin Dynasty to the control of the Song Dynasty, thus laying a hidden guarantee for the temporary stability of the northern border.

Wu Yong analyzed for Zhao Yu from the side: "The Jin ruler's move is to reassure our Great Song and make us willing to accept this constraint. He has handed over most of the Jin people's lifeline to Your Majesty, simply to preserve this spark of hope, and to plan for the future when our strength recovers."

Zong Ze chimed in, "After this crushing defeat, the Jin dynasty is no longer able to fight. The Jin emperor's move must be an attempt to exchange concessions for survival, just like the Liao and Western Xia dynasties, who, despite paying tribute, managed to preserve their territory. What he is fighting for is simply to ensure the survival of the Jin people."

The fact that Song Jiang and others were able to persuade Zhao Yu to meet with Wanyan Yinshuke and Nalan'ang shows that they were actually inclined to negotiate peace with the Jin Dynasty.

The reason is quite simple. Over the years, the Song and Jin dynasties have been at war. The Jin dynasty has suffered repeated defeats, while the Song dynasty has won many battles. Now, the Song dynasty has seized most of the territory that the Jin dynasty had annexed from the Liao dynasty.

But "for every 10,000 enemy casualties, 8,000 of your own will be lost," war is never just about the numbers on paper.

It is important to know that behind every victory in the military reports from the front lines are densely packed lists of casualties, and war inevitably leads to the rapid and massive consumption of money and supplies.

More importantly, each conquered territory needs to be digested and governed, which requires a large amount of manpower, material resources, and financial resources.

In recent years, although the Song Dynasty has made steady progress in its territory, gradually driving the Jin Dynasty out of the former Liao territory and liberating the Ji region, behind this victory is the sharp decline in the able-bodied population of the original Song Dynasty regions (in addition to those who died in battle, there were also those who went to various newly recovered areas to build).

Furthermore, the Song Dynasty had already implemented the "Equalization of Land Tax and Labor Tax" and the "Equal Payment of Grain Tax by the Gentry," vigorously promoted maritime trade and commerce, and had already begun the Industrial Revolution. However, the Song Dynasty's national treasury was not actually very abundant.

The key issue is that most of the products produced during the Industrial Revolution were used for warfare rather than for improving people's livelihoods.

Therefore, if the war could be stopped, not only could the Jin Dynasty recuperate and rebuild, but the Song Dynasty could also recuperate and rebuild, becoming even stronger.

Furthermore, from a military perspective, "one should not pursue a desperate enemy."

Although the Jin state suffered repeated defeats, it still retained the strength to fight. If forced into a desperate situation, it would surely unite with the various tribes of the grasslands to fight to the death.

At that time, the Song Dynasty would not only face even stronger resistance, but might also be caught in a long-term standoff with the grassland tribes, which would run counter to the original intention of "rest and recuperation".

Moreover, the changing weather is imminent. As autumn arrives in the north, the cold will gradually intensify. Most of the Song soldiers are from the south, and their ability to withstand the cold is far inferior to that of the Jin army, who have grown up in the icy and snowy land. Once the cold winter arrives, the advantage on the battlefield may be quietly reversed.

Therefore, rather than risking losing the gains by continuing to advance, it is better to seize this opportunity to grasp the actual benefits such as territory and the title of vassal state, and buy time for the subsequent accumulation of national strength.

Furthermore, the newly conquered regions of the Song Dynasty had suffered greatly from the ravages of war, with collapsed city walls, abandoned farmland, and sparse populations, requiring a great deal of manpower, material resources, financial resources, and time to rebuild.

Therefore, negotiating peace was not about giving up the pursuit of progress, but rather about retreating to advance – first, to secure a peace agreement in a state of complete victory, establishing the dominant position of the Song Dynasty in the relationship between the Song and Jin Dynasties, and then to take advantage of the peace period to restore people's livelihoods, integrate these newly recovered territories, and reorganize the military, so that the country's strength would be replenished before planning for the long term.

In fact, conservative ministers in the Song Dynasty had already put forward such a proposal.

However, at that time, the Song Dynasty was constantly winning, which meant that the conservative ministers did not have much say.

As the war's losses became increasingly apparent, calls from conservative ministers for "taking profits and calling for a halt" were growing undercurrents.

Now even ministers like Song Jiang, Wu Yong, and Zong Ze, who were originally from the pro-war faction, have turned to support peace talks. This has created an overwhelming public opinion force, making "securing the spoils" a consensus throughout the court.

This is something that Zhao Yu could not ignore, even though he was an emperor, even though he was one of the greatest emperors in history.

Moreover, Zhao Yu was well aware that what the Song Dynasty needed was not only victory on the battlefield, but also a foundation for long-term stability and security. Continuing to wage war might win more territory, but it could also deplete the vitality of the entire country.

At this juncture, negotiating peace would not only allow the war to end in complete victory, but also create space for the recovery of people's livelihoods and the economy, and allow for the thorough integration of the newly captured territories.

In other words, perhaps pausing here could allow the Song Dynasty to go even further.

Zhao Yu did not immediately agree to let Song Jiang and the others meet Wanyan Yinshuke and Nalan'ang. Instead, he chose to return to the inner palace first to talk with Zhang Chun and Li Lin, the two time travelers, before making a decision.

This wasn't because Zhao Yu thought Song Jiang and his group's ideas were wrong, but because they were people of that era and their perspectives were inevitably somewhat limited. Zhang Chun and Li Lin, being time travelers, might offer him a more comprehensive political perspective.

As soon as Zhao Yu returned to the inner palace, Zhang Chun and Li Lin greeted him. Zhang Chun bluntly asked, "Does Song Jiang and the others also want to negotiate peace?"

Zhao Yu nodded: "Agudati's terms and conditions are very sincere."

Then, Zhao Yu relayed the peace terms proposed by Wanyan Aguda to Zhang Chun and Li Lin.

After listening, Li Lin said, "The patron truly deserves to be called a first-rate hero of our time, capable of both yielding and standing firm."

At this point, Li Lin changed her tone: "But it is precisely for this reason that we cannot negotiate peace with them. We must know that if we do not kill the snake, it will cause harm to itself. If we do not take advantage of the time when our Great Song is at its strongest and the Jurchen is at its weakest, and eliminate such a powerful figure, giving him a chance to breathe, he may become a major threat to our Great Song in the future."

Zhang Chun said with even greater certainty: "When the Khitan were powerful in the past, Yelü Abaoji defeated the Jurchens and drove them to the desolate lands. However, relying on his military might, Abaoji thought that the Jurchens were no longer able to rise again, so he was lenient and did not annihilate them, but only made them pay tribute and become vassals."

Little did they know that the Jurchens' ambitions had not been extinguished. After several generations of recuperation, during the reign of Wanyan Aguda, taking advantage of the Liao dynasty's decline, they rallied the various tribes, and within a month, their armies gathered, capturing a key Liao stronghold, Shangjing, and ultimately leading to the downfall of the Liao dynasty and the destruction of its ancestral temples.

This was not due to any other reason than that the Khitans did not annihilate the Jurchens back then, giving the enemy a chance to catch their breath, thus nurturing a tiger that would eventually devour them.

Aguda's talent and strategy surpass those of the Jurchen Khans of the past, by thousands of generations.

If our Great Song does not annihilate their people and eliminate their foundations, and instead offers them peace through negotiations, even if they submit as hostages and become vassals, it will only be a temporary measure of security.

In thirty to fifty years, once their strength has recovered, they will surely break their alliance and abandon their treaty, and once again harass the border.

At that time, our Great Song Dynasty will once again mobilize a large army, exhaust its national strength, and repeat the mistakes of the Khitan.

What worries me most is that Your Majesty will be very old by then, or perhaps you will have already passed the throne to a new ruler. Will the new ruler have the same literary and military prowess as Your Majesty and be able to defeat the Jurchens again?
Your Majesty, military strategy states: "Do not pursue a desperate enemy. It is not that we should not pursue them, but that pursuing them might lead to their death in battle and injury to us; however, if we let them go, it is like releasing a tiger back into the mountains, causing endless trouble later."

"The Jurchens are now like fish in a pot, birds in a cage. We should press our advantage, annihilate them, and eliminate any future threat. If we hesitate out of momentary compassion or feminine leniency, it will surely become a great calamity for the nation. I humbly beseech Your Majesty to consider this carefully, and not repeat the same mistakes. A decisive action is needed to destroy the Jin in one fell swoop. Then the northern border of the Great Song will be secure, and the state can be preserved for a long time."

……

(End of this chapter)