The prince is more stable

Chapter 682 The Last Blood

This is an era in which brilliant talents are fading away.

Not only did the Song Dynasty lack famous generals, but the Liao Dynasty also lacked them.

The fundamental reason why the Song Dynasty lacked renowned generals was its policy of emphasizing civil affairs over military matters, which severely suppressed talent among the nobility and the common people. When everyone is ashamed of the word "military," this country will no longer produce heroes.

The Liao Dynasty was not militarily frivolous; it lacked the essence of renowned generals. The Liao court was rotten to the core, with the powerful and wealthy officials indulging in extravagance and debauchery, lacking ambition, leading to the decline of national strength and the blockage of upward mobility for ordinary soldiers.

This explains why Yelü Chun, despite suffering repeated defeats, was not completely dismissed from his post and allowed to remain as the garrison commander of Nanjing.

Because the Liao Dynasty no longer has anyone capable of serving.

Although Yelü Chun had suffered several major defeats, he was still a member of the imperial family and his loyalty was not an issue. Moreover, Yelü Yanxi had been captured by the Song army and it was Yelü Chun who actively rescued him. Based on this alone, Yelü Yanxi had to give him an important position.

Therefore, Yelü Chun, the garrison commander of Nanjing, was not only not dismissed, but Yelü Yanxi also bestowed upon him the official title of "Zhangsheng Army Military Governor".

At this moment, Yelü Chun sat in the residence of the garrison commander, watching the officials and servants carrying things back and forth. Yelü Chun was very depressed and sat on the chair with his head down, not saying a word.

The Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun ultimately could not be defended.

Or rather, the Liao Dynasty did not defend itself at all. After one negotiation with the Song Dynasty, it handed over the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun to the Song Dynasty, including Nanjing Xijin Prefecture where he took office.

Now the Song Dynasty has sent a letter instructing him to pack his belongings and prepare to hand over to Song officials, and for all Liao troops to withdraw from Xijin Prefecture.

After the Treaty of Hejian, the border between the two countries was redrawn. The current border between Song and Liao is located 100 li north of Xijin Prefecture. The prosperous city of Nanjing will soon no longer belong to Liao.

Yelü Chun was filled with resentment; he did not want to leave, he was unwilling to go.

He hated the emperor and his ministers in the capital even more. The Liao Dynasty had fallen so low that it had lost even the basic courage to resist, and had thus handed over its great empire to the Song Dynasty.

Upon hearing the news that the Song and Liao dynasties had signed the Treaty of Hejian, Yelü Chun was both anxious and angry. He submitted several memorials to the capital, requesting that the Grandson Yelü Yanxi, the regent, reconsider. He argued that the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun were strategic locations that could not be lost, otherwise, if the Song dynasty broke the peace treaty and launched a northern expedition, the Liao dynasty would be in a very passive position.

He submitted memorials to the emperor several times, but each time his memorials were rejected.

Yelü Yanxi finally gave him a personal letter, which was very stern in wording, ordering him to immediately reorganize his troops, abandon all the cities in Yanyun, and lead all Liao troops in Yanyun to withdraw.

Then Yelü Yanxi asked him in a gentler tone, "Now that the Song army is invincible and its firearms are sharp, what price will the Liao Kingdom have to pay if it tries to defend Yanyun to the death? Even if it pays such a price, can it really hold on in the end?"
Since it cannot be defended, it is better to preserve our strength, abandon Yan and Yun, and consolidate our forces. After making peace with the Song Dynasty, the Liao Dynasty can reform and strengthen itself, and prepare for war. Perhaps then, the Liao Dynasty will still have a glimmer of hope for its survival.

Yelü Chun was speechless when he read the end.

The most difficult part is this: giving up is unacceptable, but fighting back is impossible. Upon careful consideration, the decision made by the imperial court in the capital was actually correct.

The only rational course of action would be to abandon Yanyun and place all hope in future reforms to strengthen the nation. However, this rational decision would mean completely abandoning the dignity and integrity of the country.

Yelü Chun had no choice but to comply, so he ordered the officials and troops stationed in Xijin Prefecture to pack their belongings and prepare to leave Xijin Prefecture.

The once glorious and prosperous Nanjing of Liao is now a scene of chaos and war, both inside and outside the city.

The news that the Song state was about to take over Xijin Prefecture spread throughout the city. The officials and people in the city felt as if the sky had fallen, and all sorts of rumors and gossip spread like wildfire.

It is said that the Song army will inevitably massacre the city after entering; that young women, regardless of their beauty or ugliness, will be forced into prostitution by the Song army and subjected to abuse day and night; and that the Song army will plunder the property of everyone in the city, regardless of their wealth.

Rumors spread like wildfire, and the entire Xijin Prefecture was in a panic. Before Yelü Chun and the garrison had even left the city, many officials and civilians had already packed their belongings and fled north in a panic.

Inside the Nanjing Garrison Command, the luggage had been almost completely packed, filling dozens of large carts. Yelü Chun rose with a dejected expression and sighed sadly.

Just as he was about to step out the door, he saw a military officer hurrying towards him.

Yelü Chun was taken aback, and managed a weak smile.

This military officer was very young, probably not even thirty years old. He was exceptionally tall and strong, with a thick beard covering his facial features, but one could still see a fierce and sharp aura in his eyes.

The military general was named Xiao Chouwo. At the age of fourteen, he was the princess of the Shangyue Kingdom and the son-in-law of the Liao Kingdom. Emperor Yelü Hongji of Liao was very fond of this son-in-law and when Xiao Chouwo turned eighteen, he was granted the title of Prince of Lanling.

Xiao Chouwo was implicated in a palace intrigue and exiled to the Wugudilie tribe. Recently, when Yelü Hongji was in poor health, he remembered his beloved concubine and son-in-law. So he issued an order to recall Xiao Chouwo from the harsh land of Wugudilie and send him to Nanjing Xijin Prefecture as deputy commander.

Xiao Chouwo had only been in Nanjing for two months when an imperial edict from the capital ordered all troops to withdraw from Yanyun.

Xiao Chouwo was not yet thirty years old, and was in the prime of his youth. He was furious when he thought about how incompetent the Liao Kingdom was, abandoning Yanyun without any resistance to the Song army. So he came to question Yelü Chun, the garrison commander of Nanjing.

Yelü Chun also had a great fondness for this young general. He was no mere figurehead; in fact, he was extremely brave and skilled in battle. Even when he was exiled to the harsh and cold land of Wugudilie, he still managed to quell the rebellion of the Bohai tribe for the Liao Kingdom and made outstanding contributions.

If the Liao court decides to defend Yanyun to the death, Xiao Chouwo will undoubtedly be the first vanguard of the Liao army.

Unfortunately... Yelü Chun was filled with complicated emotions, but Xiao Chouwo paid no heed and walked up to him, asking bluntly, "Is the garrison commander truly prepared to retreat without a fight?"

Yelü Chun sighed and said with a wry smile, "What can we do if we don't retreat? General Xiao, we must admit that the Liao Dynasty is no longer as powerful as the Song Dynasty. Even if we defend to the death, we probably won't be able to hold on."

Xiao Chouwo resolutely said, "No! We cannot retreat!"

Yelü Chun understood his feelings, and his expression grew even more bitter.

He certainly didn't want to retreat, but an imperial decree had already been issued from the capital. Not retreating would be considered disobeying the decree, and Yelü Chun already had a history of military defeats, so he couldn't afford the consequences.

Xiao Chouwo said excitedly, "To retreat without a fight, how shameful! When did our Great Liao fall to such a state? Those scoundrels in the capital are cowards, not like men. If I obey their orders, wouldn't I be just as spineless as them? I will not retreat!"

Yelü Chun frowned and said in a deep voice, "General Xiao, His Highness the Crown Prince is overseeing the country and has issued an edict. As a subject, one cannot disobey the edict."

Xiao Chouwo coldly said, "Without firing a single arrow or moving a single soldier, the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun were handed over to the Song people. Even Nanjing was abandoned without hesitation. Do His Highness the Crown Prince and those court officials have any respect for their ancestors and the nation? If I listen to them, I will never be able to hold my head up high again."

“If you wish to leave, then so be it. I am the Deputy Commander of Nanjing. I will not obey any orders from above! If you wish to punish me, do so only after I have returned to the capital alive.”

"The whole country has no men left, I am the last remaining spirit of the Liao Dynasty!"

After saying this, Xiao Chouwo turned and strode away.

Yelü Chun's face was ashen as he stared at Xiao Chouwo's ​​retreating figure. Xiao Chouwo's ​​scathing rebuke had undoubtedly included him in the insults. However, after a long while, Yelü Chun's gaze gradually softened, and a look of sorrow appeared on his face.

Did Xiao Chouwo make a mistake in his criticism?
Yes, the whole country is devoid of men, including Yelü Chun.

At this moment, he suddenly felt a little envious of Xiao Chouwo. Although Xiao Chouwo was young and impulsive, that remaining bit of passion was truly flowing through his body.

Yelü Chun pondered for a while, then suddenly beckoned to an official.

"You need not stop General Xiao Chouwo from doing whatever he wants. Let him go, and let him take as many troops as he wants."

…………

Taking over the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun was not as easy as imagined.

Although the Treaty of Hejian was signed, in reality, local officials, local garrisons, and Liao people in various places were quite resistant to the Song army.

The imperial court agreed, that was the court's business. No one wanted to leave the homeland where these Liao people had lived for hundreds of years.

Therefore, when the Song Dynasty officials went to Zhuozhou, the closest city to Hejian Prefecture, to take over the city, they encountered fierce resistance.

A local militia raided the official's carriage and entourage on his way to Zhuozhou.

The official was originally beaming as he went to accept the appointment as the prefect of Zhuozhou. He was originally a nominal official in Bianjing, with an official rank but no real power. This time, when the court was selecting officials, he spent a lot of effort and money to bribe people in Bianjing and finally obtained the powerful position of prefect of Zhuozhou.

Before he even reached Zhuozhou, a Liao militia force, poorly equipped and armed, appeared halfway through the journey. Thousands of men intercepted his carriage and then launched a reckless charge.

The chariots were accompanied by only a few hundred soldiers of the Xiang Army. This Xiang Army consisted of soldiers under Feng Sheng of Zhen Ding City and was not equipped with firearms. After being suddenly attacked, the Xiang Army hastily engaged in battle but was ultimately routed.

The surviving soldiers escorting the officials then fled in disarray.

The news quickly reached Zhao Xiaoqian, the prefect of Hejian.

Looking at the official kneeling before him, sobbing uncontrollably, Zhao Xiaoqian's lips curled slightly.

"Keep showing off. The city is still in the hands of the Liao people. You've been making a grand entrance as if you're returning home in glory. Who else would the Liao people beat up if not you?" Zhao Xiaoqian said coldly.

The officials dared not contradict them, and remained silent, head bowed and choked with sobs.

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed and turned to look at Xu Jiang: "Mr. Chongyuan, I'm afraid the Song Dynasty's takeover of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun will not be too smooth."

"Even if the Liao people withdraw, they will not be willing to give away the Sixteen Prefectures for nothing. They will definitely turn a blind eye to the resistance actions of the Liao army and the people, and may even fan the flames in the dark. In short, they will not let us take over too easily."

Xu Jiang stroked his beard and nodded: "That's right, so we'll probably have to change our approach to taking over the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun."

“In the past, I thought of taking over Yanyun in a gentle way. After all, the hearts of the people of Yanyun still need to be won over. The court should not be too tyrannical towards the people of Yanyun, otherwise it will be detrimental to governance in the future.”

"It seems that the people of Yanyun are quite resistant to our Great Song Dynasty. They are unwilling to become subjects of our Great Song Dynasty, but the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun must be taken back."

Zhao Xiaoqian remained silent for a moment, then sighed, "Let's take action. First, send the Imperial Guards into the city to take over the defenses, then send officials to rebuild the government offices. If any resistance is encountered, execute them."

(End of this chapter)