You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 126 Creditors are Everywhere in the World
Kaifeng Prefecture, Bianliang City.

Inside the Daxiangguo Temple.

Liu Guanglie looked at the letter in his hand and scratched his head vigorously.

"I understand Shao-ge'er less and less."

His expression was somewhat conflicted; this was truly a huge matter.

Cui Lin, standing to the side and observing his expression, said, "Third Master, the Master has always been sensible."

Liu Guanglie laughed angrily and retorted, "What's your hurry? Do you think I wouldn't work for your boss?"

"I wouldn't dare," Cui Lin said softly, head bowed.

Liu Guanglie snorted and walked out. In the years he had lived in Bianliang, he could be said to have been very successful.

This time, Shao Ge'er actually asked him to borrow money, and he was to use the salt and iron tokens of Yanzhou as collateral to borrow money from a wealthy family in Luoyang.

He was quite knowledgeable; he knew that the powerful families of Luoyang were the most influential in the Song Dynasty.

Salt and iron are truly money-making treasures; they are basically the most profitable industries.

But what if these people really want to ask Shao Ge'er for it?

If we give it to them, we'll be at a huge disadvantage; if we don't, these people's power shouldn't be underestimated.

They could easily manipulate things to bring you down.

The Qingliu faction may seem to be declining now, but that's only in comparison to Cai Jing. If they were outside Bianliang, they would still be high-ranking, noble scholars.

In a few days, it will be the Jinshi Gathering in Luoyang, an annual gathering of wealthy families and sons of officials.

Although Liu Guanglie was originally the son of the chief steward of Fuyan Road, he was not qualified to go at all.

His elder brother, Liu Guangshi, was almost there.

But now, things are different. First of all, Chen Shao has occupied the five prefectures of Dingnan, which has elevated his status.
Then Liu Yanqing was in charge of the Hebei army and was one of the nominal commanders. As the campaign against Liaodong was in full swing, their status also rose accordingly.

In addition, during that year, he made many acquaintances with powerful and influential people in Bianliang.

Getting an admission ticket is no problem.

Liu Guanglie walked out of Xiangguo Temple and stood in front of the bustling steps, looking at the lively market.

He suddenly realized something: Shao Ge'er was no ordinary person, and it was not strange that what he did was unusual.

He might really renege on his debt then.
He fled back to the Northwest, and he refused to believe that anyone could capture him at the Fuyan Road Military Governor's Office.
-
Chen Shao's strategy of taking risks even when there are no clear prospects has proven effective.

The Song Dynasty managed to send some grain, not much, based on the number of troops in the five prefectures of Dingnan reported by Chen Shao.

The total was 1.2 million shi of millet.

Emperor Huizong personally replied, telling him to take it seriously, as there would be great rewards after the destruction of Xia, and promising him at least a marquisate.

Chen Shao felt somewhat disgusted. After the Xia dynasty was destroyed, Tong Guan had spent money to buy back a few dilapidated cities where all the people had been abducted, and then he made him a king.

The Song Dynasty's system of nobility was quite unique, differing significantly from that of the Han, Tang, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Its core characteristic lay in the "nominal" nature of the titles—the nobility was merely an honorary title, carrying neither fiefdom nor real power.

At the same time, the Song Dynasty also implemented the "enfeoffment system," which allowed members of the imperial family to inherit titles at a lower rank, in order to prevent the emergence of a powerful royal family.

As the problems of redundant officials and excessive expenses intensified, the practice of bestowing titles of nobility became more and more common. The amounts of fiefs and real fiefs increased, but their actual value decreased significantly, and they became more of a ceremonial and honorary decoration.

Even after all this, they still won't give you a bigger reward. Honestly, for an achievement like destroying Xia, giving you a duke wouldn't be too much to ask.

Chen Shao wasn't unreasonable; since Zhao Ji had provided him with grain, he had to offer him some emotional support.

So Chen Shao ordered Han Shizhong to capture more prisoners of Western Xia, preferably from the Yeli or Weiming tribes with titles, and even better if they were members of the imperial family.

Then they tied it up and dragged it to Bianliang to present as a victory gift.

Let our Daoist Emperor make an appearance.

He's the kind of person who loves this kind of thing. He's enjoyed everything, and all he's missing is this kind of face-saving thing. It'll make him feel like he's in heaven.

Chen Shao immediately sent a letter to Zhao Ji, saying that the army only needed to prepare for three months, and that the horses would be fat and ready for battle in the autumn, and that this time they would surely destroy Western Xia.

Not long after the Song Dynasty's grain arrived, the Western Xia also became restless.

Li Qianshun had long since discovered Chen Shao's actions and knew that he was buying people from the Jin Kingdom.

Although he knew it was a case of drinking poison to quench thirst, in order to stop Chen Shao from fighting, he had no choice but to plunder a lot of gold, silver and jade artifacts from the royal family and give them all to Chen Shao as protection money.

Early in the morning, Chen Shao instructed the Youzhou government office to make preparations in preparation for the arrival of the Western Xia envoy.

Just before noon, the Western Xia envoy arrived as expected.

The person who came was still Yeli Renrong. Li Qianshun dared not send anyone capable because the other party was too shameless and even capable of extortion.

Li Qianshun was terrified that his men would be detained by him.

It would be better to let Norihitoshi run it again.

Yeli Renrong was deeply moved, feeling grateful that His Majesty still trusted him so much after he had made such a big mistake last time.

This time he was more careful; no matter what Chen Shao said, he agreed with him.

When I go back, I will absolutely not take anything with me.

Yeli Renrong waited anxiously for Chen Shao and his group to arrive at the government office in Youzhou.

This made him a little unhappy.

In the past, when facing Song envoys, they would directly hurl insults; when had they ever backed down?

But this time was different. This man didn't fight, but he was more fearsome than the Song soldiers who did.

As soon as Xia Bing came out, they retreated into the fortified village; when he left, they came out again.

We wanted to build a fortified village, but we didn't have the resources.
The key issue is that these people are still constantly building, and every time one is built, it's like stabbing the Western Xia in the back.

After a while, Chen Shao rushed over, followed by a group of military officers, staff, and scribes, all of whom were filthy, especially their trouser legs.

Chen Shao plundered his own household and borrowed money from some tribal leaders, finally managing to raise some funds. The canal with the Wuding River as its main channel was finally excavated, connecting Yinzhou and Youzhou.

After the people came in, Yeli Renrong was about to speak when Chen Shao waved his hand and said, "Take an inventory."

The people he brought all went into the courtyard and began to take inventory.

Norihiro had never seen such an undignified Song official.

Aren't they the ones who value appearances the most?
Yeli Renrong saw that Chen Shao had some free time and was about to speak when he unexpectedly followed him out.

Yeli Renrong couldn't go out, so he could only wait in the lobby. This time, he found that Chen Shao was different from the last time.

He was very polite last time, but this time he completely ignored people. His attitude changed from obsequious to arrogant, making people suspect that he was really going to take action.

"How is it?" Chen Shao asked, pointing.

A member of the caravan took out an abacus, did some calculations, and said, "It's probably worth 100,000 taels."

One hundred thousand taels of silver, equivalent to one million strings of cash, is neither a lot nor a little.

Chen Shao strode in again and said to Yeli Renrong, "Is that all?"

Nori Hitoshi nodded.

Chen Shao held up three fingers and said, "Then I can guarantee I won't make a move for at most three months. Alright, you can go back now."

Three months later, when the crops on the Xingling Plain will be ready to ripen, Chen Shao will inevitably launch an attack at that time.

Even if we can't annihilate the Xia army, we must burn down their last granary and level it to the ground.

Don't even think about collecting a single grain of rice!

The Western Xia are now so poor they're practically urinating blood. No matter how resilient, tenacious, or unwilling to admit defeat they are, Chen Shao doesn't believe they can hold out for much longer.

After all, while you are martial and can choose to fight to the death when your army is pressing in, they may not be able to stop you when hunger strikes.
When a person is extremely hungry, many of their beliefs begin to crumble.

From the very beginning, Chen Shao had no intention of using force, but rather to gradually drain the blood from Xixia.

Let their internal contradictions be amplified infinitely. When the conditions become too harsh, they will split from within and perish.

It wasn't until he was driven out of Youzhou City that Yeli Renrong realized he hadn't said a single word to Chen Shao.

He simply nodded.

He leaned gently against the horse's back and began to think silently.

Whether this trip was a success or a failure.

I had planned not to say much when I came, but how am I supposed to explain myself if I don't say a word when I go back?
Yeli Renrong sighed, feeling that dealing with the Song people was too difficult. He hoped that His Majesty would not think of him again if there was another such task.

In Youzhou City, Chen Shao truly had no free time at all.

He's been extremely busy these past few days, as a large number of people have been released from Yunnei Prefecture in an instant.

It turned out that the Jurchens from the surrounding area, upon hearing the news, also requested to make a trade.

Bianliang pretended not to see it, after all, they should support this kind of thing, since Chen Shao was fighting on the banner of Han blood.

If the Song court did not support them, their plan to establish Yanshan Prefecture in Youyan would lose its legal basis.

Even the entire campaign against Liao will become devoid of legality.

But they dared not ask too many questions, because if they did, Chen Shao might take the opportunity to ask for money.

Anyway, he paid for it himself, bought it himself, and entered newly developed land, so it didn't affect the interests of either side in the current government.

Everyone just couldn't be bothered to get involved.

If a powerful ruler were in power, he would have no choice but to send troops to attack in such a situation.

While the effects of supporting such a large population may not be immediately apparent, their productivity and energy, once unleashed in the next year or two, will be immeasurable.

The Northwest region, which has been the site of over a century of warfare, is sparsely populated and desperately needs manpower.
When Cao Cao was fighting, he didn't care whether he captured a city or not; he first relocated the local people to his base.

In this day and age, human resources are always the most important resource.

After seeing off the Western Xia delegation, Chen Shao sat on the steps of the government office, sweating profusely.

At this moment, someone brought a military report from the Hebei front. Chen Shao quickly read it, not daring to miss a single word.

Ultimately, the battle in Hebei and Youyan was the most important.

At least for now.

If we can take down Youyan, or at least not suffer a crushing defeat so that the Jurchens don't see our weakness, the next few years will be much easier.

I need time.
If the Jurchens were to move south within the next two years, then much of what I've been doing would have to be abruptly interrupted.

"Tong Xuanshuai and Xiao Gan both focused their attention on this Pharmacist Guo."

Chen Shao had some recollection of this person; he had played a significant role when the Jin army marched south.

This person seems to be a general of the Liao Dynasty, but he first surrendered to the Song Dynasty and then to the Jin Dynasty, making him a true traitor to three masters.

Before that, he had also betrayed his elder brother.

Given how fickle this person is, Tong Guan probably wouldn't place all his hopes on him, would he?

Blacksmith need its own hardware.

"I still don't understand why our elite Western Army, which was so capable in battle, became so easily defeated at the Baigou River."

The Baigou River area has a somewhat mystical element to it.

In all battles fought here, the North always wins and the South always loses.

They all won against the odds.

During Yongxi's Northern Expedition, Zhao Guangyi lost to the Liao Dynasty here.
Tong Guan lost to Yelü Dashi here;

In the later Jingnan Campaign, Zhu Di defeated Li Jinglong here.
Moreover, each battle at Baigou River was a pivotal victory, completely rewriting the course of the game.

Chen Shao rode his horse almost non-stop to the front line in Xia Prefecture.

When night fell, they finally arrived and saw the Liao people still being driven to trade in droves. Under the rows of torches, anyone who was slow to walk was whipped.

When they arrived in Xia Prefecture, everyone burst into tears, because the people responsible for welcoming them here were usually Liao people who had been there for some time.

Some people even recognized their relatives and friends on the spot.

Chen Shao looked at a middle-aged man who was clearly not Han Chinese, holding a boy, his expression extremely excited.

He pressed down on the boy's shoulder, asking something that seemed unsettling; the boy's eyes were still somewhat vacant.

Under the iron heel of the Jurchens, they had been ravaged to the point of near collapse.

"Damn it! These Tartars always use Khitan dogs to fill in!" Li Xiaozhong spat and cursed.

Chen Shao chuckled. There were only so many Han Chinese in Liaodong, and many of them had already surrendered to the Jurchens under the leadership of local military commanders.

The Jurchens always needed manpower to guard this vast territory.

After all, the territory of the Khitan was simply too vast.

Then these Han Chinese military families would once again seize these prefectures and only need to deal with one or two Jurchen nobles.

With their centuries-old family experience, winning over several Jurchen nobles would be a piece of cake.

A few generations later, after these Jurchens became completely corrupt and lost their fighting ability, they ended up relying on them instead.

The Han people of the North, since the end of the Jin Dynasty, have become accustomed to living with other ethnic groups, and they have their own way of surviving.

Even if we asked them to move south now, they would refuse, unless we attacked them.

Chen Shao wasn't too concerned; the Tartars could drive Han Chinese from the north south, making them the main force attacking Han lands.

I, Chen Shao, can also drive the barbarian troops northward.

These Liao people and Jurchens have a blood feud, so if they really fight, it will actually boost their morale.

On the Jurchen side, a general dressed as a nobleman, surrounded by a group of Jurchen warriors, rode over.

"Which one of you is Commander Chen Jie?"

Chen Shao raised the hand holding the riding whip and chuckled, "It's me."

Under the torchlight, he looked at the short, stout Jurchen nobleman and nodded slightly.

The latter nodded to him, and his personal guards announced loudly, "We will invite Commander Chen to drink and eat meat together."

Chen Shao nodded and said, "Okay!"

In the darkness of night, eight soldiers of the Dingnan Army, five Jurchen Tartars, and three Han Chinese officers chatted and laughed quietly around a campfire.

Above the campfire, besides a half-roasted roe deer emitting an enticing aroma, hung a large earthenware pot filled with boiling tea, bubbling and churning. Some people were generously sprinkling in tea cakes from the Song Dynasty, along with salt and cheese.

The aroma wafted through the air.

Among the Jurchens, those who understood Chinese relayed the message: "Our lord is Wanyan Balisu! He originally did not intend to come in person, but upon hearing that Commander Chen was here, he came specifically to meet him."

"I've heard so much about you!" Chen Shao said with a smile, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

Chen Shao knew them well and had seen their portraits. Balisu belonged to the second tier of generals in the early Jin Dynasty. He was not as prominent as Wanyan Zonghan or Zongwang, but as Zonghan's cousin and deputy, he had participated in many key battles.

His bloodline was not that of Emperor Taizu or Emperor Taizong of Jin, but he belonged to the core family of the same tribe (Wanyan tribe) and was often referred to as "the son of the prime minister Sagai".

In other words, he is more closely related to Zonghan by blood.

He made significant contributions in the Battle of Hubudagang, one of the most important battles fought by the Jin army.

The Han Chinese military officer standing next to him was a member of the Liu family of Yunzhou.

Although they were close relatives of powerful figures, the leader of the group, named Liu Guan, did not have the air of someone who lived a life of luxury while making a living in Liaodong.

On the contrary, he was young but looked weathered, with long arms and legs, strong and powerful, and covered in scars, which showed that he had traveled a long way and fought hard battles.

His personal guards showed no respect for him, simply rummaging through his small bag and pulling out Song Dynasty tea cakes and salted cheese, adding them to the tea without any hesitation.

Wanyan Balisu was not a man of many words. He would only speak a few words with pride when Chen Shao took the initiative to talk about their victory over the Liao people.

On the contrary, Liu Guan kept trying to get information out of Chen Shao, but Chen Shao was too lazy to pay attention to him.

As Wanyan Balisu ate, he began to marvel at the delicacies of the Song Dynasty, even though he had only eaten some tea cakes.
Chen Shao couldn't imagine what he would feel if he were asked to have a meal at Fanlou Restaurant in Bianliang.
Listen to his words, which revealed his longing for the delicacies and wines of the Song Dynasty, as well as the exquisite gold, silver, jade, silk and satin items that Chen Shao had sent over.

Chen Shao inwardly cried out in alarm, realizing he might have triggered their covetousness for the riches of the Central Plains.

But thinking about it carefully, it's not a big deal. They'll head south sooner or later.

Wanyan Aguda was in poor health. When he was alive, he was actually quite kind and didn't really think about going south.

He felt that since a contract had been signed with the Song Dynasty, it should be honored.

Chen Shao noticed that Wanyan Balisu seemed to have many wounds on his body.

These famous generals of the early Jin dynasty were indeed very fierce, but the high-intensity battles they fought year after year took a heavy toll on their bodies.

Therefore, none of these famous generals from the early days, including those at the very top, lived long lives.

Seeing that the meat was ready, Chen Shao laughed and said, "Bring the wine flask, let's all drink until we're drunk."

It would be best to make this Jurchen Tartar addicted to alcohol.
Chen Shao cursed inwardly.

Upon hearing this, Dong Dahu was about to get up to get the wine, but Chen Shao held him down and glared at him fiercely.

Da Hu then remembered that his master had said that he should never leave his side when he was away from home.

Chen Shao's gaze was so deadly, Dong Dahu secretly reminded himself that he must not forget it again next time.

It's true that he's been spending a lot of time with his own people lately, which has made him lower his guard.

Fortunately, the employer always remembers.

Chen Shao was genuinely angry. As he bent down, he whispered, "One more time and you're fired!" Dong Dahu quickly promised that it wouldn't happen again.

Chen Shao rarely got so angry with him; it could only be said that, after all, it was a fledgling team, and his subordinates all needed to be trained.

In fact, someone like Han Shizhong can indeed be used right away, but being able to use it is one thing, and being good at using it is another.

Han Shizhong also has many flaws, which need to be corrected slowly by myself, otherwise he may cause trouble in the future.

It's actually easier and less time-consuming to cultivate a promising talent like Wu Jie than Han Shizhong.

Give him opportunities gradually, and he will grow on his own. Besides, he didn't experience the same kind of youth as Han Shizhong, so he won't have picked up so many bad habits.

Po Hanwu indulged in all sorts of vices, including eating, drinking, gambling, and whoring, and was extremely addicted to them.

There aren't that many geniuses in this world.

Thinking of this, Chen Shao couldn't help but look eastward, wondering how far Yue Fei from Tangyin in Xiangzhou had come.
Chen Shao had always been wary of Wanyan Balisu, despite his smiling face and seemingly kind demeanor.

But he was a confidant of Wanyan Zonghan.

Wanyan Zonghan was the most influential figure among the pro-war faction against the Song Dynasty.

He was the one who most wanted to go south.

Because he controlled a large army, and after the conquest of Liao, he urgently needed to expand the interests of the military aristocracy. They plundered wealth and enhanced their political status through war.

They were also the main instigators of breaking the Song-Jin alliance and spearheaded numerous attacks on the Northern Song Dynasty.

Of course, the Han Chinese military officers under Zonghan were even more eager to encourage them to go south.

A group of people drank and celebrated in this special trading place until midnight before dispersing.

At this moment, the torches were still burning brightly, and the transaction was destined to continue day and night, with people from both sides coming to change shifts during the day.
-
Back in Xiazhou.

Chen Shao returned to his room and heard a soft cry.

Dong Dahu immediately drew his sword.

After the lamp was lit, it became clear that there was another young woman in the room.

Judging from the appearance, it was bought from the north. The official in Xia Prefecture who arranged the house for Chen Shao was probably trying to curry favor.
Chen Shao waved his hand and said to the young woman, "Go on, find a place to sleep, you don't need to worry about this place."

He took three bodyguards with him and went straight to sleep in the room.

Putting aside the fact that it's already past midnight and I'm exhausted, I have no interest in sex.
But even in a place like Xiazhou, which is on the border between two countries, Chen Shao wouldn't touch a random young woman he picked up.

If the assassin is a woman who has been in close physical contact with you, then it is extremely difficult to defend against.

How do you defend when flesh is pressed against flesh?
Putting aside whether she might be hiding weapons, just like the rumored Western Xia princess who single-handedly killed Genghis Khan, if she were to take a bite out of you, would that be fatal?
Chen Shao was always very cautious in such matters.

The young woman was still stunned and at a loss.

Zhao He stepped forward and said, "Miss, please leave."

The next morning, Chen Shao really didn't want to get out of bed, but he forced himself to get up despite his sleepiness.

Today he was going to walk the specific route of the resettlement and listen to his subordinates' reports, but he was still not entirely at ease.

Such important matters cannot be taken lightly. Taking a personal look around won't take much effort, and any problems can be discovered and resolved as soon as possible.

Along the official road of Xia Prefecture, these Liao people heading south would first fill their stomachs at the soup kitchens at Liuyangling, and then undergo their first selection process.

The artisans and doctors will stay behind, while the others will continue on, where they will be met by their first escorts.

The escort team, along with some mules and donkey carts, helped transport some of the weak.

After entering Xiazhou territory, they gradually released some people to fill the various fortresses and villages.

Now that Chen Shao's fortified villages have passed through the initial period of confusion, they have all figured out that the fortified villages are actually small towns!

Every fortress wanted to expand, so they stood outside the gate early to lead people in.

Those who were quick could quickly pull in a dozen or so, and the escort team didn't mind.

Upon reaching the Wuding River, the river begins to split, with some flowing towards the vicinity of Yinzhou and others heading straight for Youzhou.

Finally, the strongest and most capable group of people were transported to the Xingling Plain to begin working as laborers.

They usually start in the supply train, and some battalion commanders will also come to select soldiers.

The treatment of laborers and soldiers was different; after becoming a soldier, one could obtain land and property.

Those with families usually work hard to demonstrate their strength and actively seek opportunities to join the army.

Seeing that the resettlement was indeed very efficient, most of the arrangements he had made in the government office were also carried out.

Chen Shao was relieved and returned to Youzhou.

It was already close to the end of June.

Chen Shao walked into the front hall with ease. Just as he reached the corridor, he encountered Zhe Shi and Huanhuan coming out of a side room.

Since they were face to face, Chen Shao couldn't show it, so the three of them greeted each other and looked at each other happily, as if they had a lot to say.

Chen Shao was busy traveling around and felt like he had been away for a long time because of overwork.

In fact, for the women in the family, Chen Shao hadn't been gone for more than a few days.

Chen Shao asked, "Have you eaten yet?"

"I already ate. I'll have the kitchen make you some more."

"I'll just eat what you leave behind."

"The rest were all eaten by the maids." Huanhuan laughed, "I really don't know where you found these maids. One of them can eat as much as three or five of our maids used to."

Chen Shao laughed heartily. These were all poor children from humble backgrounds who hadn't had enough to eat since childhood, so it was understandable that they had large appetites.

"Then just prepare a small dish and a pot of wine, and get me some warm water; I want to take a bath."

Zhe was a little embarrassed, but fortunately Zhong Lingxi didn't think much of it.

After the food was served, the three of them exchanged a few words. Because the young couple kept calling her "stepmother," Mrs. Zhe herself was quite pleased with the warm atmosphere and felt dizzy with delight.

But no matter how warm and cozy it was, there was no reason to watch her son-in-law eat. She stayed for a short while before getting up and leaving.

After eating and taking a bath, Chen Shao felt exhausted and his mind was filled with thoughts of various matters.

He breathed a deep sigh of relief, wondering how those people managed to endure it. Managing too many things must be exhausting for one person.

Lying in the bathtub, Chen Shao felt that he had improved a lot compared to before. If he had been asked to manage such a huge amount of affairs when he first transmigrated, he probably would have collapsed long ago.

As he emerged from the bathtub, Zhong Lingxi's maidservant stepped forward to wipe his body clean.

"Sleep with me for a while."

Chen Shao asked with a grin.

“If it’s just for sleeping, that’s fine.” Zhong Lingxi said shyly, her head lowered and her face flushed.

Having not seen each other for several days, she inexplicably missed the feeling of Chen Shao holding her while she slept.

Her cute, diamond-shaped lips were very pretty. The girl didn't use much makeup, but her light red lips seemed to have a shiny sheen, making her exceptionally beautiful.

After receiving Chen Shao's assurance, Zhong Lingxi was overjoyed and took the initiative to go to bed to wait for her husband to embrace her.

The light purple curtains were thin and breathable, set up to keep out mosquitoes, not to block the view. Chen Shao saw the petite young woman undressing inside, with pieces of silk and brocade being handed out and draped on the round stool beside her. Her delicate, white arms, as white as scallions, were incredibly tender, which stirred a restlessness in his heart.

Zhong Lingxi's clear voice said, "My lord, she's already undressing, what are you dawdling for?"

“Here we come!”
-
The end of June in the fourth year of the Xuanhe era.

Chen Shao looked at the military report on the table, somewhat caught off guard.

Major events are unfolding one after another, destined to make the days to come extraordinary.

First, Emperor Yelü Chun of the Northern Liao Dynasty died.

Emperor Tianzuo Yelü Yanxi, who was being chased all over the world by the Jin Dynasty, heard that Yelü Chun had become emperor and, for reasons unknown, mustered up the courage to gather 60,000 troops.

Most of them were elite cavalrymen, preparing to enter Nanjing from Jiashan and personally quell the rebellion.

If we can't beat the Jurchens, surely we can beat you!
Yelü Chun was greatly shocked and hurriedly summoned his ministers to discuss countermeasures.

He wasn't worried about losing the fight. To be honest, Yelü Chun was quite proud. He told the people around him, "If Emperor Tianzuo comes to Nanjing, I will only die. I have no face to see Emperor Tianzuo again."

Unexpectedly, during Emperor Tianzuo's march, the news reached the Jurchens, who sent a force to easily defeat him.

Before Emperor Tianzuo arrived in Nanjing, on June 24th of the same year, Yelü Chun, who was 60 years old, died of illness. He was posthumously honored as Emperor Xiaozhang, with the temple name Xuanzong, and was buried in Yong'an Mausoleum in Xiangshan, west of Yanjing.

After Yelü Chun's death, the Liao people in Nanjing Prefecture did not reinstate Emperor Tianzuo.

Instead, they enthroned Yelü Ding, the fifth son of Emperor Tianzuo and Prince of Qin, with Han officials such as Li Chuwen assisting him; and Empress Dowager Xiao Puxian, the daughter of the concubine, presiding over military and state affairs.

Yelü Dashi was excluded from the decision-making circle.

The situation in Youyan changed drastically once again in an instant.

Upon receiving the news, Guo Yaoshi resolutely chose to return to the Song Dynasty, as he could see no hope whatsoever for the Liao Dynasty.

Chen Shao closed the military report, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

Sometimes you really can't help but believe in luck.

What incredible luck the Jurchens have!

After much difficulty, Yelü Dashi and Xiao Gan managed to make a name for themselves, putting on an air of resisting the Song army in the south and the Jurchens in the north.

Unexpectedly, Yelü Chun died suddenly, and the Northern Liao Dynasty instantly descended into internal strife.

Seeing the dire situation, the regent Li Chuwen and his son plotted to secretly communicate with Tong Guan, the Grand Tutor of the Song Dynasty, to abduct Xiao Puxian's daughter and bring her to the Song Dynasty. At the same time, Li Chuwen also secretly communicated with the Jin Dynasty, acting as their inside agent.

He's betting on both sides, and he's almost too busy to keep up.

Empress Dowager Xiao was no pushover either. She submitted five memorials to the Jin Dynasty, saying that she would agree to all other conditions as long as Yelü Ding was allowed to be established as the emperor of Northern Liao.

However, the Jin Dynasty firmly disagreed. Left with no other option, Xiao Puxian had to send troops to guard Juyong Pass to prevent an attack by the Jin army.
-
In Hebei, after Ma Kuo contacted the Ever Victorious Army, the Song army also arrived and, with their combined forces, finally defeated Xiao Gan.

Xiao Gan retreated north and set up camp outside Zhuozhou, where he defended the area with utmost vigilance.

Liu Yanqing made a big splash this time, achieving his greatest victory since the start of the campaign against the Liao.

Actually, defeating Xiao Gan wouldn't have been difficult, because Xiao Gan had a terrible hand.

However, the poor performance of the Song army in the Battle of Baigou River inadvertently enhanced Xiao Gan's prestige.

Because of Guo Yaoshi's surrender, Tong Guan was finally able to take Zhuozhou and Yizhou, and he was filled with pride.

Xiao Gan was defeated! Yelü Chun died of illness!
These two pieces of good news came in quick succession. The third piece of good news was that Yelü Dashi was sidelined and lost his military power.

After discussing the matter, Tong Guan and Liu Yanqing decided to send the entire division north as soon as possible.

Under Liu Yanqing's supervision, the massive Western Army began to move at an unprecedented speed.

The Fuyan Army, as the vanguard, had already reached the south bank of the Gaoliang River. The Qin Feng Army was on the left flank, the Xihe Army on the right flank, and the Jingyuan Army at the rear, forming a formidable battle formation.

The reason why Liu Yanqing's Fuyan army was able to win was because he himself defected to Tong Guan and retained the middle and lower-level military officers of the Fuyan Road.

This avoided the period of weakness that would have occurred when the Western Army underwent a major reshuffle at the Baigou River camp. In addition, Guo Yaoshi's ever-victorious army was indeed formidable and highly effective in combat. The two-pronged attack finally drove Xiao Gan back.

The light cavalry scouts from various Song armies even crossed the Gaoliang River and went out to scout more than ten miles ahead. The military intelligence they received was that Xiao Gan's troops had already broken camp and left. It seemed that they did not dare to confront the Western Army's formidable forces near the Gaoliang River, but instead attempted to fight with their backs to the city of Yanjing to determine the final victor.

Upon receiving the military intelligence, the morale of the Fuyan Army, which was the main force in this offensive, soared.

All sorts of preparations are being accelerated, and Liu Yanqing's main camp has finally been moved to a place only a few miles from the Gaoliang River. This is the closest Liu Yanqing has ever been to the front line in recent years.

He temporarily filled in all the sons of the Liu family, preparing to rake in military merits.

Liu Yanqing is currently riding high, seemingly on the verge of great success in the campaign against the Liao.

As soon as he arrived at the front line, he immediately convened a military meeting with all the armies. Everyone knew that this meeting was to make the final arrangements for the advance.

Once the military council was concluded, the Western Army of the Great Song Dynasty, with tens of thousands of Fuyan soldiers as its vanguard, was about to cross the Gaoliang River to the north and head straight for the walls of Yanjing!

Liu Yanqing's central army camp was hastily set up this time, borrowing the camp of an advancing army.

Even if Liu Yanqing was still indulging in pleasure, he didn't have time to properly manage this camp. He probably planned to enter Yanjing City as soon as possible and find a good palace to settle down in, so he was too lazy to put his mind to this camp in the desolate wilderness of the front line.

The wealth in Yanjing City is plentiful, which is another great achievement. Getting into Yanjing City as soon as possible is more important than anything else!

The men under their command could plunder to their heart's content; the Western Army had no concept of military discipline.

After fighting the Western Xia for a long time, every time they won a battle, they would plunder the Western Xia's people and prisoners without restraint.

Both sides are the same, but the Western Xia soldiers might be even more ruthless.

However, Liu Yanqing didn't consider one thing this time: this place is Hebei, not the Northwest.
In Hebei, if you push the people too far, they really will bite you back.

Throughout history, in times of chaos, the military strength of two regions has been a key factor: the Western Liang and Hebei.

The central military camp is now packed with the personal guards brought by the various ministers. In addition to the ministers, many key generals who hold the titles of military commissioner, defense commissioner, and militia commissioner, and who lead a battalion or a garrison, have also come to this military council.

Their personal guards, however, could not even enter the main camp; they were simply kept outside.

The guards of the various generals, since their commanders were not around, chatted and laughed in hushed tones in groups.

This time, the Fuyan Army was the vanguard, and their actions were quite proactive, making them worthy of attention.

The troops of Jingyuan Army, Qin Feng Army, and Xihe Army seemed to have fewer reservations with them and could even build some goodwill.

Ultimately, we're all Western Army soldiers, so let's hurry up and storm Yanjing City and plunder it to our hearts' content!
Even a lowly soldier could see that this opportunity was too good to pass up.

No one believed that the Liao Dynasty, already teetering on the brink of collapse, would still lose.

You should know that there's still internal strife going on in Yanjing City right now.

Their Grand Chancellor, Li Chuwen, had long intended to surrender to the Song Dynasty. Once the Heavenly Army arrived, he would surely open the gates and surrender!
These soldiers of the Great Song Western Army were chatting and laughing without any distinction between themselves and others, while a dozen or so guards wearing the insignia of the Divine Martial Ever-Victorious Army stood awkwardly to the side, not uttering a word to them, and casting cold glances at them.

The Ever Victorious Army had made a great contribution by surrendering the two prefectures of Zhuo and Yi, and also defeated Xiao Gan.

The Ever Victorious Army knew the situation when they defeated Xiao Gan; if they hadn't intervened at the crucial moment, Liu Yanqing would have been defeated long ago.

Now, by heading north, allowing the Ever Victorious Army to protect their flanks, it's clear they don't want the Ever Victorious Army to be the first to storm into Yanjing.

Grand Commandant Liu has not even captured Yanjing yet, and he has already begun to favor one side over the other. How can people be convinced of this?

The Ever-Victorious Army had caused trouble more than once when faced with unfair rewards and punishments.

Inside Liu Yanqing's military tent, Guo Yaoshi was also gritting his teeth and smiling, secretly cursing in his heart.

He was equally dissatisfied.

In his eyes, Liu Yanqing was nothing but a good-for-nothing. He had personally witnessed Liu Yanqing's men being no match for Xiao Gan outside the city that day.

It was only by risking his life to leave the city and attack from both sides that he managed to defeat Xiao Gan.

Now he looks down on himself.

The military council was already halfway through, but not a single person in the tent looked at him directly.

These soldiers are all hot-tempered, and now is the time when we need them. They're on the front lines of the battlefield, yet they didn't give Guo Yaoshi any face at all!

Pharmacist Guo gritted his teeth, trying his best to maintain a normal expression, and even had a faint smile on his face.

He is known for his patience, but when it really matters, he will not hesitate to stab you in the back.

Dong Xiaochou died here, and Xiao Gan will soon die here as well. They both underestimated Guo Yaoshi.

Inside the military tent, the huge wooden map was densely covered with various symbols, and the army's number was also noted in small regular script next to it.

The Song Dynasty had already obtained all the maps of the mountains and rivers of Youyan, and countless people in Yanjing were secretly communicating with the Song.

It wasn't that they thought highly of the Song Dynasty, but rather that the Liao Dynasty had truly reached its wits' end, and no one believed it could rise from the dead.

How many people are willing to be buried with this corrupt empire? Everyone is looking for a way out.

The Song Dynasty was wealthy, and the Song people were not as brutal as the Jurchens, so everyone wanted to submit to the Song.

Another important reason is that the Song-Jin alliance at sea is no longer a secret.

Many people believe that, according to the Song-Jin alliance, Youyan would eventually belong to the Song Dynasty, so surrendering to the Jin would be better than surrendering directly to the Song Dynasty.

Liu Yanqing, wearing a brocade robe and a jade belt, pointed to the mountains and terrain on the wooden map and gave orders in a fluent manner.

When there is no pressure, Old Liu's skill level is still very high, after all, he comes from a military family.

They do have the ability to talk the talk but not walk the walk.

What he said was indeed very reasonable.

Xiao Gan's army has already retreated from Gaoliang River.

His camp was moved more than ten miles away, and he set up a new camp only twenty or thirty miles from Yanjing City.

Looking around, all he could see was flat land, and behind him lay the capital city of Yanjing. Where else could he retreat to?

Where could we find any reinforcements? We've even given up on the natural barrier of the Gaoliang River and lost our morale. How could he possibly dare to fight against our Western Army?
They were simply retreating in fear, yet unwilling to abandon Yanjing City, and were just taking things one step at a time. Liu Yanqing was certain that Xiao Gan's morale had collapsed!

"In this northward advance, the Fuyan Army will be in the center, the Qin Feng Army will be south of Gaoliang River to ensure the retreat route of the main force, and the Xihe Army will also cross the river to the north and advance directly towards Luxian County, threatening the enemy's rear."

The Jingyuan army is holding the supply lines, continuously transporting military provisions. I must personally lead the troops to the front lines and engage Xiao Gan in a decisive battle! We will cross the river within four days, fight Xiao Gan within ten days, and within twenty days, I will be in Yanjing City, awaiting your arrival!

After Liu Yanqing finished speaking, the atmosphere in the tent became somewhat strange.

The main forces of the Qin Feng Army and the Jingyuan Army, led by Lao Zhong and Xiao Zhong, were left behind south of Gaoliang River.

Although Yao Gu's Xihe Army also crossed the river to the north, they were sent to Luxian, northwest of Yanjing, supposedly to flank the enemy and cut off their retreat, but they were also sent far away from the main battlefield of Yanjing.

In other words, the great achievement of conquering Liao and fighting Xiao Gan to capture Yanjing City had already been given to his Fuyan Army before the battle even began.

They're not even going to act anymore.
(End of this chapter)