You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 137 A Tragic Song of Yan
From the surrounding fortified walls of Yingzhou, one could see a strange group of people brazenly crossing through this dangerous area.

Their banner was that of the Dingnan Army.

People have occasionally heard of the Dingnan Army, which is said to be aggressively buying up Han Chinese in Liaodong.

The Jurchen Tartars in Datong Prefecture captured many local Liao people to fill their ranks, and they all made a fortune from it.

The first impression people had of the Dingnan Army was that they were rich.

With such a large population, I don't know what they'd do with the money.

However, the local Han people did have great respect for the Dingnan Army. Regardless of their purpose, the banner they raised was that they were of the same clan and wanted to save the Han people who had fallen into the northern border.

Having learned that they were on their way to Datong Prefecture to discuss business, no one dared to provoke them.

What if we anger the Jurchen Tartars of Datong Prefecture?

Li Xiaozhong observed the nearby dock walls along the way and sighed slightly.

"What's wrong?" the accompanying lieutenant asked.

Li Xiaozhong said in a low voice, "Although there are many soldiers and righteous men here, there is no powerful figure to unite them. So scattered, they can only be trampled underfoot by the Jurchens."

Along their journey, they witnessed the Jurchen Tartars slaughtering and plundering everywhere. The local powerful families in Shuozhou and Yingzhou only dared to hide and few dared to resist.

He also considered the options these people would have if the Dingnan Army had entered voluntarily, and after much thought, he felt that these local powerful figures were not trustworthy.

Most of them were only thinking about self-preservation, or about collecting scraps after the Jurchens had finished ravaging the people.

They were no different from mountain bandits and outlaws.

The military commander's method of buying people with money was quite clever. In order to exchange for luxury goods, the Jurchen Tartars sold many Liao army prisoners and servants as human beings.

The Xijing Prefecture, which was already short-handed, was even more desperate, with no one available. They spent their days enjoying themselves in Datong Prefecture and didn't care at all about how to govern it in the future.

After all, many Jurchen Tartars believed that after killing Emperor Tianzuo and avenging their blood feud, they would still take the spoils back to their hometowns to enjoy.

Who would willingly leave their hometown?

At this time, the Jurchen upper class had no time to lavishly bestow land rewards.

They have no sense of identity with the land they have conquered, and do not feel that it belongs to them.

They only care about destruction and killing, just like the Japanese devils back then.

With this kind of behavior, it's no wonder they can't win people's hearts.

Regardless of their ethnicity, people in Xijing Prefecture viewed the Jurchen Tartars as if they were demons.

Li Xiaozhong had already made up his mind. If a real hero were to enter the scene at this time, although these fortified villages would not be of much value in winning over the people, they would definitely be able to gain a large following among the common people.

Especially the military commanders who already had some reputation.

Upon hearing that a strange army had arrived, Li Mao hurried to the city wall of Yingzhou and stared blankly at the group of people.

Suddenly, a burly military officer rode out from the ranks and shouted from below the city wall: "I am the Assistant General of Xia Prefecture of the Dingnan Army, escorting the delegation to Datong Prefecture. May I ask if the city gate be opened for a rest?"

"Dingnan Army?"

Li Mao watched as the white flag with black lettering fluttered in the cold wind.

Looking at these people, there weren't many, only about a hundred.

How could I be harmed by these people on my own turf? I thought that having more friends meant having more options, and if all else failed, I could go south and join the Dingnan Army.

Li Mao waved his hand, signaling to lower the drawbridge.

At this moment, a middle-aged man next to Li Xiaozhong suddenly said a few words to him.

Li Xiaozhong asked a question, and the middle-aged man nodded firmly.

Li Xiaozhong immediately understood.

Yingzhou's administrative center, to be precise, resembled a military town.

The Jincheng County, which was established here during the Tang Dynasty, has long been destroyed.

During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the Later Tang Dynasty re-established Yingzhou. In order to cope with the enormous military pressure from the rising Khitan in the north, it was initially built as a military camp.

After the Liao dynasty annexed the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, the development of cities and urban construction faced immense pressure and proved extremely difficult for the nomadic tribes beyond the Great Wall.

So, after a century, Yingzhou is still pretty much the same as before. On the contrary, the establishment of the Zhang Jiedushi strengthened the city's construction for military purposes.

Yingzhou's administrative center was built against the mountain, and from a high vantage point, it resembled a small but fortified stronghold.

Its perimeter was only two li (approximately 1 kilometer), smaller than even a county town in the heart of the Song Dynasty. However, its walls were high and thick, and its water supply was secure, making it a perfectly intact fortress and a nightmare for attackers.

On a steep ridge of Longshou Mountain, where it relied, there was an even smaller fortified stronghold. With such a steep, straight mountain path, accessible only by one road, rolling stones could easily defend it, making it a strong support for Yingzhou.

Moreover, from the mountain, the battlefield was laid out in its entirety. The movements of the attacking troops could be relayed to the fortress at any time. With the two forces working together, this defensive posture was practically flawless in the age of cold weapons.

If there were enough food, this place would be an impregnable fortress, and no matter how many people came, they would have to find a way to detour.

As a military fortress, the larger it is, the more difficult it is to defend.

Small but sturdy fortresses with advantageous terrain are what make every commander leading a large army to attack a city shudder.

If the defending forces are determined, it will be difficult to break through without sacrificing many lives or engaging in a long siege that lasts until the new year.

The Tibetan fortress during the Tang Dynasty was small yet fortified. The fact that it took tens of thousands of fierce Tang soldiers' corpses, almost filling the fortress, to finally capture it is clear evidence of this.

After Li Xiaozhong entered, he looked out from the city wall and saw that the surrounding towns, which were similar to castle towns, had long been turned into a wasteland due to the war in recent years.

The vast expanse was made even more desolate by the snow cover. Although the moat outside the city had not been repaired or deepened for several years, its foundation remained intact, and after several heavy snowfalls, it was still more than a meter deep.

The width of the path is two or three zhang (approximately 6.6-6 meters), and it is not easy to cross. The defensive system remains largely intact.

If this place were in my hands, I would be confident that I could defend it for ten years or so, not to mention the Jurchen Tartars, even against heavenly soldiers and generals.

Upon entering the city, Li Mao personally came down to greet him, and he could tell from Li Xiaozhong's appearance that he had an extraordinary bearing.

Moreover, this group of men were all fully armored, their weapons gleaming with a cold light colder than the weather. Their fur-lined military coats looked damn warm; no wonder everyone said the Dingnan army was wealthy and powerful—it really was.

That suit of armor is truly tempting, and they are also going to Datong Prefecture to do business with the Jurchen Tartars.

This means they actually still have money on hand.
It's said that the Dingnan Army bought off a million people, yet they haven't exhausted their treasury yet.

In fact, Dingnan Army had already started to buy on credit at this time, and would pay back slowly, only paying interest each year.

Zhai Fengda's trip to Yunnei Prefecture was to deliver interest to Wanyan Balisu.

As for whether the principal will be returned, and when it will be returned, that depends on when the proceedings begin.

If you were to ask who among the Jurchens most opposed to invading the Song Dynasty from the south, Wanyan Balisu would definitely be one of them.
Upon arriving at Li Mao's residence in Yingzhou, Li Xiaozhong had some dried meat, fine salt, and grain brought out.

His personal guards, using Li Mao's stove, skillfully took out an iron pot, cooked millet rice, and broke up rice cakes to soften them.

As soon as the wine sacs were opened, the room was filled with the aroma of wine.

Meng Nuan swallowed hard as he watched their actions, while his subordinate stared intently at them.

The shortage of supplies in Xijing Prefecture of the Liao Dynasty had reached a critical point; let alone such rich food and wine, there wasn't even enough ordinary grain to eat.

Li Xiaozhong sat down with Li Mao, handed him a wine flask, and said with a smile, "Here, thank you for your hospitality, brother, have some wine!"

Li Mao blushed slightly. Who was entertaining whom here?

"May I ask your name, young man?"

Li Mao laughed heartily and said, "Me? Li Mao!"

Li Xiaozhong held the wine flask and looked at him with a smile. Although he didn't say anything, Li Mao felt a little uncomfortable.

"I heard that Yingzhou, because of its strategic location, was specially ordered by the Liao emperor to recruit Han soldiers to garrison it. The army was named: Fengsheng Prefecture Wuding Army, Weizhou Zhongshun Army, Yingzhou Zhangguo Army, and Shuozhou Shunyi Army."

"The four military commanders were in charge of the defense of the Han troops in the four prefectures, as well as the allocation of provisions and weapons. Their rank was below that of the military governors, and they had four military supervisors under their command."

Li Mao suddenly stood up and looked coldly at Li Xiaozhong.

The military commander of Yingzhou, whose surname was Meng and given name was Chu, was his biological father.

Li Mao was not his real name; his real name was Meng Nuan. This was because the Jurchens would kill Liao officials they captured and subjected them to extreme humiliation.

All female relatives of those who served as officials in the Liao Dynasty and did not surrender were forced into prostitution, and all male relatives were executed.

That's why he made up an identity for himself and took a pseudonym, but how did this person know it?

The strange thing is that Chen Shao bought too many Liao people, and some of them knew about Yingzhou. Li Xiaozhong found them and made them his guides on this trip to Datong.

Now that he'd been exposed, Meng Nuan stopped pretending and coldly asked, "What are you planning to do?"

Li Xiaozhong said, “Brother Meng, you are of Han Chinese descent and are now the overlord of Yingzhou. But we have all seen what the Jurchens have done. How can a true man tolerate such filth? I, the commander of the Dingnan Army, have spent millions to save countless Han soldiers, as you know.”

Meng Nuan looked into his eyes, remained silent for a long time, and then suddenly laughed, "Can he call me?"

"Yes!" Li Xiaozhong suddenly widened his eyes, his expression resolute.

Meng Nuan looked at Li Xiaozhong, and for some reason, she trusted him completely.

Some people possess a unique charisma that commands respect at first glance.

However, Meng Nuan was also a powerful figure, and he naturally wouldn't choose to completely side with Chen Shao because of this.

However, he is willing to leave a good connection, because he doesn't know when he might need it.

Because the Jurchen Tartars were so inhuman, no one wanted to follow them.

Regardless of whether you have surrendered or not, as long as they have their eyes on your things, they will attack you and kill you without hesitation, and then nothing will happen to them.

It was the same for everyone, from top to bottom. They lived in constant fear, never knowing when he would strike them with his sword.

In Yingzhou, if you don't submit to the Jurchens, who else would you submit to?
Should we pledge allegiance to the Liao Dynasty?

There's not a trace of the Song Dynasty.

Now that the Dingnan Army has suddenly come and is willing to take her in, it is naturally very good. However, Meng Nuan does not believe their claim that they will attack Yingzhou.

It's already a favor that the Jurchens aren't attacking you. In this world today, who would be willing to take the initiative to attack the Jurchen Tartars?

Anyway, the Dingnan Army can't reach out to him and can't control him, so what's wrong with recognizing a big brother now?

Meng Nuan slapped her thigh and said boldly:
"Since you say so, what else can we say? We can only do our best to make this place as impregnable as an iron fortress for the commander."

"Although the Jurchen Tartars are powerful, they are outnumbered. We loyal and righteous men have gathered under the command of the General, and the outcome of our battle against the Jurchen Tartars is still uncertain! As long as the General really comes, at his command, I am willing to be the vanguard and march towards Xijing Datong Prefecture."

"Hang Wanyan Xiyin's head atop the city wall of Datong Prefecture! Help the military governor seize Xijing Road, storm Nanjing Prefecture, cut off the Jurchen Tartars, and defeat them one by one!"

"We will follow Commander Jie and fight our way to Shangjing Prefecture, to Huanglong Prefecture. We will drag those Wanyan bastards out of their dens one by one!"

Meng Nuan sat upright, her hands resting on her knees, and spoke with great passion, her face flushed.

You don't know if he was just being cheeky, venting his frustrations, or if he had been holding back for so long that he finally shouted out what he had been thinking about countless times.

Seeing his loyal, diligent, and brave appearance, his subordinates all had strange expressions upon hearing these words.

You're just spouting nonsense, trying to fool people.
Li Xiaozhong laughed and said, "Brother, just remember what you said. Never lose Yingzhou, we really will come."

"The moment I saw you, Brother Li, I felt an instant connection. I dare to ask if I could become sworn brothers with you. I wonder if you would do me the honor?"

Li Xiaozhong laughed and said, "Why not?"

The two immediately set up an incense hall, became sworn brothers, and addressed each other as brothers.

Li Xiaozhong stayed in Yingzhou for seven or eight days, drinking with Meng Nuan every day and then wandering around Yingzhou aimlessly.

Meng Nuan saw through his intention and was too lazy to stop him. This place was truly impossible to conquer, no matter how many times you looked at it.

Moreover, if your Dingnan Army really has the ability to reach Yingzhou, why shouldn't I surrender?
It's better to be under the command of the Dingnan Army than under the Jurchen Tartars.

Meng Nuan knew his family's strength, so he was ambitious, but not very ambitious.

When Li Xiaozhong led his team away, Meng Nuan personally saw them off.

After traveling a long distance, he mounted his horse, holding a charcoal pencil and a piece of parchment, and began drawing a topographical map of the area.

The cold wind howled, and his knuckles were already blue, but he did not tremble and wrote with great steadiness.

With each stroke of the brush, it seems as if a thousand troops are galloping through my heart, traversing roads that are either winding or smooth.

The world situation is not as good as some people imagine, but it is not as bad as others imagine either.

The name of the military commander has already spread to Yingzhou. Li Xiaozhong knows best what the Dingnan Army is like now!

Meng Nuan, oh Meng Nuan.

Why can't we come to Yingzhou!
-
With spring in full bloom, the former Qi King's mansion, now the grand residence of the military governor, boasts a beautiful landscape, bathed in the warm sunshine and exuding a peaceful atmosphere.

On this warm afternoon, Chen Shao suddenly received a gift from Old Zhong of the Western Army.

Chen Shao then ordered someone to open the package. Suddenly, his eyes were drawn to a gleaming horizontal sword, which was not even scabbard and reflected the bright sunlight as soon as it was revealed.

Chen Shao looked at the knife, his brow furrowing slightly, not quite understanding what Lao Zhong meant.

At this moment, several people outside requested an audience. Upon hearing that they were Wei Li and others, Chen Shao immediately summoned them inside.

Five people entered: Wei Li and his two clerks, Wang Yin from Yipin Guangyuantang, and Cui Lin, who had rushed back from Bianliang.

Cui Lin had already been granted an official position because of his many merits in Bianliang, but he still considered himself a servant.

Even after returning to Xiping Prefecture, he remained in the residence doing the work of a steward.

All three were Chen Shao's trusted confidants. Upon seeing the newly opened package on the table, Wei Li couldn't help but ask, "General, who sent this?"

"General Zhong, the old strategist."

Wei Li laughed and said, "The Western Army has already broken a taboo by withdrawing from the front line on its own, and I guess they are feeling quite bad right now."

Chen Shao told Da Hu to put away his knife and said, "I don't know if he's feeling well, but those guys in Bianliang aren't feeling any better."

Even the most obtuse person should be on their guard at this point.

Wang Yin laughed and said, "General, it seems you are overestimating them."

Cui Lin also said, "The people of Bianliang only know how to live a life of debauchery. They throw away any worries or anxieties without a second thought, as if these things don't exist if they don't care."

Judging others by his own standards, Chen Shao thought that if he were in Zhao Ji's position at this time, he probably wouldn't be able to eat.

However, according to Cui Lin and Wang Yin, the emperor was quite happy.

One of these two men was my informant in Bianliang, and the other was the head of intelligence; they must have known some of the facts.

It seems that Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) was indeed unreliable. Having gone through this year, Chen Shao was no longer bothered by the questionable actions of the Song emperor and his ministers.

He was remarkably stable.

Nothing more than being used to it.
Wang Yin said, "The only person who is really anxious is Commander Tong Xuan. He has been sending people to negotiate with Zong Han recently, wanting to spend money to take back Yanjing."

coming
The most abstract thing still came: Tong Guan, who spent money to buy Yanjing and then was made a king, came to life just like in history.

Sometimes Chen Shao would think that they might really be geniuses, able to come up with such an idea.

If the Jin dynasty didn't pay tribute to Gubeikou, why did you buy Yanjing City?
With Gubeikou in their hands, they can head south at any time, just like when you redeem your wife from bandits, you hand over your house keys without a second thought.

Moreover, based on historical events, the Jin army would have looted all six cities, leaving hardly any survivors.

The door panels were all removed and taken away.

Where will the money come from to buy these six cities? They'll probably have to issue paper money again. The Song Dynasty's finances are definitely not sustainable. They'll be waiting for their credit to collapse, prices to skyrocket, and their currency to become worthless!
After everyone sat down, Wang Yin spoke first: "General, the trade route to the Western Regions has been opened. In the negotiations with the Uyghurs of the Western Regions, Lady Xiao from Hexi made a great contribution."

Chen Shao nodded and asked, "I had someone seize all of their family's assets in Suoshi City, but we still need to be careful." Wang Yin smiled and said, "I had someone investigate. Her husband is incompetent. He was sidelined by Madam Xiao early on. He both loves and fears her, and can only spend his days indulging in pleasure and avoiding her. The two of them don't have much affection for each other."

"This Madam Xiao is quite ambitious, and I guess she also hopes to achieve great things under the command of the military governor."

"She was originally a Xi person, and is related to Xiao Puxian's daughter and Xiao Gan, though the blood ties are very thin. Madam Xiao is indeed very talented in business; the commander would be best suited for her."

Chen Shao chuckled and said, "You've got your hands on me! Your Yipin Guangyuan Hall is incompetent, worse at business than a woman, and you expect me to sacrifice my body?"

The people in the room laughed. Although they didn't know why, they all admired the commander for his composure.

Especially Wang Yin, who had met Madam Xiao before, and who was definitely not some ordinary woman, but rather possessed a very elegant beauty.

Moreover, Madam Xiao's bloodline allowed her to thrive in Hexi.

The Liao nobles actually had a lot of influence in Hexi.

Many people in Hexi still believe that the Liao Dynasty is incredibly powerful and will definitely be able to turn the tide.

The reason why these forces in Hexi were not completely devoured by Western Xia was indeed because the Liao Dynasty was protecting them, thinking of leaving Western Xia with an unstable rear area, hoping to one day take over Hexi.

After all, the trade routes here are too tempting.

Historically, Yelü Dashi gained the trust of the Uyghurs because of his status as a member of the Khitan royal family.

The Uyghurs never expected that they had let a wolf into their house, allowing Yelü Dashi to seize their foundation and establish the Western Liao Dynasty, thus extending the life of the Khitan once again.

Chen Shao always believed in not using people he doubted, but he heard that even his intelligence chief valued this Madam Xiao highly.

So they stopped interfering.

Upon hearing Wang Yin mention Xiao Puxian, Chen Shao suddenly remembered something.

After being driven out of Yanjing by the Jurchens, Xiao Puxian watched as Xiao Gan and Yelü Dashi, two pillars of the Northern Liao, each led some troops to escape.

Left with no other choice, she was protected by Khitan guards and went to seek refuge with Emperor Tianzuo, Yelü Yanxi.

As a result, Emperor Tianzuo directly used the pretext that her husband, Yelü Chun, had usurped the throne to have her beaten to death.

This move was absolutely awful.

In an instant, almost all the Liao people in the Northern Liao who were still resisting surrendered to the Jurchens.

In Nanjing, not a single person would seek refuge with Yelü Yanxi again. In fact, throughout the period when Yelü Yanxi was being hunted by the Jurchens, he was truly never idle.
The execution of the innocent Prince of Jin forced Yelü Yudu, who held a large army, to serve the Jurchens wholeheartedly.

The emperor was deeply saddened by the lack of popular support among his own Khitan people and developed the idea of ​​relying on Han officials to maintain his rule. He then promoted Li Chuwen and Zuo Qigong.

These two brothers, one surrendered to the Song Dynasty and the other to the Jin Dynasty, opened the gates of Yanjing twice;
After killing Xiao Puxian, Yelü Yanxi issued an edict ordering Yelü Dashi to come find him. Yelü Dashi ignored the edict and led his men westward without looking back.

Chen Shao sighed and said, "Xiao Puxian went to seek refuge with Yelü Yanxi, which was actually a good opportunity for Emperor Tianzuo, but unfortunately he missed it again."

Wei Li, who was in a mood to watch the drama unfold, laughed and said, "This Liao emperor really can't stand her. It's one thing to send someone to secretly poison her with wine, but he even sent people to beat the rest of the Liao people to death. Forget about coming to seek refuge, they would tremble if they just passed by her."

Chen Shao thought to himself that there was really nothing funny about this. Wei Li, like many scholar-officials in the Song Dynasty, did not realize how terrifying the Jurchens were.

Among his subordinates, Li Xiaozhong truly had the sharpest eye, foreseeing early on that the Jurchens would definitely break the alliance, and that the situation would be very bad if preparations weren't made early.

I heard he went to Datong Prefecture. I wonder how he is doing now.

Chen Shao was actually very worried because he didn't have many generals who could stand alone in command.

Fierce generals are easy to find, but a true leader is hard to come by.
Amidst the howling wind and snow, the lights in Wanyan Xiyin's residence in Datong Prefecture remained lit.

The lamps installed in this hall are from a bronze lampstand with a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix, which was looted from some Liao dynasty nobleman.

Hundreds of birds circled upwards, each beak a lamp wick. At the top of the lampstand, a phoenix perched on a parasol tree, its wings fluttering, held a large flame in its beak.

Under the flickering firelight, the birds and the phoenix at the highest point appear lifelike, as if they were alive.

Wanyan Xiyin sat cross-legged at the head of the table, intently examining the lampstand. Scattered beside him were some Chinese scripture scrolls.

Wanyan Xiyin was also a veteran general with an impressive record, but his achievements were not so outstanding in the early days of the Jurchen founding team.

However, he was very fascinated by the cultures of the Khitan and Han people. Three years ago, he personally created the Jurchen script, giving the Jurchen people their own writing system.

At this moment, under this lamppost, as he peruses the scriptures, he experiences an unprecedented peace in his heart.

This was a feeling he had never experienced before, one that brought him more joy than conquering cities and seizing territories or abducting women.

Just then, a subordinate suddenly reported that an envoy sent by the Dingnan Army had arrived not far outside the city and was expected to arrive the next day.

Wanyan Xiyin frowned, feeling quite displeased.

It was this group of Han Chinese from the Dingnan Army who bought up almost all the books in Yunnei Prefecture, as well as the craftsmen, doctors, and clerks. These were the people the Jurchens needed to keep in order to gain a foothold on Liao territory.

Wanyan Balisu, that short-sighted and ignorant man, actually gave away all these things for the sake of some food, gold, silver and jade.

Those were millions of native Liao people, who were familiar with the terrain and customs of the Western Capital of Liao, a hundred times more so than the Jurchens.

What if the Yinan Army leads them north? What will happen then?
These cunning Han people have actually come all the way to Datong Prefecture. Wanyan Xiyin sneered inwardly.

How did they come here?

If we go through Yunnei Prefecture and then turn east, then that's fine!
If they were to travel through Weizhou and Yingzhou, it would undoubtedly demonstrate their wolfish ambitions, as they were spying on the terrain of Yunzhou along the way. Their true intentions are self-evident.

The fifth year of Xuanhe, the first month.

Wanyan Aguda ordered Zonghan and Zongwang to lead troops to besiege Yelü Yanxi.

Yelü Yanxi occupied only the area north of the desert, the two capitals of the southwest and northwest routes, and various tribes.

These barren lands, though poor, were surprisingly resilient and actually withstood the Jurchen invasion.

Left with no other option, Zong Han had to withdraw his troops.

After receiving the imperial decree, Zonghan did not enter the city. Instead, he led his personal guards outside to set up camp and prepare for the western expedition.

The Jurchen troops who had been enjoying themselves in Yanjing City, seeing their commander's actions, all marched out of the city and joined the main camp.

The old emperor, Wanyan Aguda, said he would return the place to the Song people, but because the Song failed to send troops as agreed, he demanded additional ransom.

When the Song people who came to negotiate heard that the Jin Dynasty was willing to return the city, they were all extremely excited.

But after hearing the conditions, they all fell silent. This time, the Jurchens didn't mince words with the Song Dynasty and directly demanded an exorbitant price.

Having witnessed the incompetence of the Song army, the Jin people's last shred of allegiance to them had long since vanished.

However, the one that was to pay a huge sum of money to the Jin Dynasty in exchange for Yanjing and six other cities in Yan territory was to pay annual tribute plus a redemption fee.

The original annual tribute to Liao consisted of 20 taels of silver and 30 bolts of silk, which was to be paid to Jin at regular intervals each year.

In addition, there was a ransom of 100 million taels of silver and 100 million bolts of silk.

They originally thought that even if the Song Dynasty could raise the money in a year, they could continue to stay in Yan and appease the old emperor.

But Zonghan never expected that the Song Dynasty would actually gather the money for him in just half a month.
Tong Guan, Liang Shicheng, Wang Fu, Cai Jing, and others used their special skills for this so-called "heavenly achievement" of conquering Liao.

First, they intercepted the grain transported from Zhejiang and Jiangsu, sending 100 million shi of millet to the Jurchens in exchange for 200 million taels of silver.
This move stunned the Jurchens, who suddenly received so much food that they couldn't possibly eat it all.

Meanwhile, a grain shortage occurred in Jiangnan, leading to forced price stabilization: the price of rice in Suzhou skyrocketed from 600 wen per shi to 2 guan 500 wen;
The price of rice in Bianjing (Kaifeng) skyrocketed fivefold from 1 guan per shi (a unit of dry measure) in the fourth year of the Xuanhe reign (1123), while the value of Jiaozi (paper money) depreciated by 80%.
Then they turned their attention to the wealthy Xiangguo Temple in Bianliang, melting down and forcibly seizing its gold artifacts. Three gold Buddha statues were seized from the temple and melted down, then given to the Jin Dynasty.

Even worse, Tong Guan misappropriated the funds originally intended for the Western Army's border defense. The Western Army had already suffered heavy losses this year when they came to Hebei with Tong Guan, and after returning, they would not receive a single penny.

This group of arrogant and fierce soldiers hated the Song Dynasty court and Tong Guan to the core.

Chen Shao was stunned by the actions of the Song Dynasty. Compared to them, Chen Shao's actions seemed petty and insignificant.

Following this, Hebei and Hedong Roads imposed an additional "Yanyun tax" (an additional 120 wen per mu);

The "Yanyun Donation" in Jiangnan's ten routes forced wealthy households to make purchases; a wealthy Hangzhou merchant surnamed Wang was coerced into donating 5 taels of silver.
Those who refused were immediately raided and their homes confiscated, even more ruthlessly than Zhu Mian had done.

The entire Song Dynasty has completely disregarded everything else in order to save face for the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun.

Even if it means emptying the Song Dynasty, we must buy back the cities first.

When Zonghan and Zongwang saw cartloads of grain, cloth, gold, and silver being transported to the camp, their greed became uncontrollable.

So the Song Dynasty was incredibly wealthy! They were so rich!
If you don't rob them, you've wasted your life!

These days, Zong Han has been issuing military orders one after another. He is willing to give up Yanjing City, but how to give it up is still a matter of much discussion.

In addition to the Jurchen main force of the Western Route Army, he also conscripted surrendered Xi troops, Bohai troops, Han troops, and even a small number of Khitan troops.

The tribes on the grasslands also conscripted soldiers to join the army, and the camp expanded every day.

This army did nothing but plunder the people of Yan and drive them northward like dogs and sheep.

In order to supply this large army, in addition to the reserves in Yanjing, supplies and provisions were continuously transported from other territories under Zonghan's control.

Countless laborers accompanied the army as civilians, and various tribes of the grasslands also brought large numbers of cattle and sheep. Some even transported their breeding cattle and sheep for the winter under the tyranny of the Jurchens.

These people were well-fed and watered, and they didn't have to fight. Their job was to plunder the Yan region thoroughly. This was an unprecedentedly good job.

Even before the Liao Dynasty was destroyed, he had never encountered such good fortune.

The people of Yan were considered less than cattle and sheep. The Jurchens ordered that even if they were killed on the road, they should not be allowed to live.

During the army's transport, corpses were everywhere, and both sides of the road were littered with dead bodies.

The city was still being ransacked; they really went to great lengths, digging up every inch of the ground, and even excavating the cellars of every household!

The bed boards were all lifted up, and the doors and windows were dismantled, so that the people could carry them with them and use them to start fires on the road.

Before they had finished looting a single household, they started setting fires for their amusement, and thick smoke filled the entire city of Yanjing.

In the city, not a single chicken, dog, cow, or sheep was spared; they were all slaughtered and eaten for meat.

Blood stained the snow on the city streets, and naked female corpses lay abandoned in all sorts of horrifying poses by the roadside, their wounds bizarre and varied.
On the grounds of Nanjing Prefecture in the Liao Dynasty, countless flags fluttered every day, and new flags were added each day.

The Jurchen soldiers, who had been enjoying the fruits of victory with fine wine and women and were somewhat weak-willed, began to regain their fighting spirit and fierce nature after days of camping in the cold wind.

The morale of the army continued to rise, and as long as Zonghan's banner pointed, this unprecedented army would drown everything in the cities near Yanjing in a sea of ​​blood!

In the center of the camp, Zonghan's three-zhang-tall, pure black banner fluttered in the wind. Layers upon layers of Jurchen armored soldiers guarded the area, while countless messengers rushed back and forth. A chilling atmosphere permeated the air.

None of the powerful clans in Yan dared to rebel.

The disparity in strength was simply too great. The numerous rebel armies throughout Hebei could only hide in the deep mountains to resist the sweeping attacks of the Jurchen Tartars and their auxiliary troops.

This terrifying situation lasted for a whole month, until the Jurchens finally left in mid-January.

As dawn broke, a sudden horn blared, and countless Jurchen generals who had been discussing matters in Zonghan's tent rushed out, their guards welcoming them to their respective mounts.

These Jurchen soldiers gave a final lash with their whips and charged off like lightning.

Before long, the entire camp began to stir. Squadrons of Jurchen knights marched out one after another, loading all the provisions and military supplies onto wagons. Large herds of cattle and sheep were also driven out.

Thousands of auxiliary tribal troops were driven out of their dilapidated tents or even dugouts and ordered to dismantle all the city's defenses.

Watching the well-fed, warmly dressed, well-armored, sharp-weaponed, and well-equipped Jurchen knights cheer and set off in droves amidst the cold wind.

These people escorted the people of Yan to the west.

At the very end were the Jurchen soldiers, each shouting something in the Jurchen language.

After they left, the people of Yan, whose land was covered in blood, emerged from their hiding places.

Looking at their devastated homeland, everyone felt numb and didn't know what to do.

Suddenly, squads of Jurchen cavalry turned back.

Then a massacre began.

The people of Yan, who had survived for a month, were slaughtered again.
-
In February of the fifth year of the Xuanhe era, Tong Guan entered Yanjing City and, by imperial decree, established Yanshan Prefecture.

Following this, Yanshan Prefecture was established, with its capital in Yanjing City. Its jurisdiction included Yanjing, Zhuozhou, Yizhou, Tanzhou, Shunzhou, Jingzhou, and Jizhou.
When the news reached Bianliang, the entire city was overjoyed.

Everyone felt that all the hardships they endured were worthwhile.

Tong Xuanshuai led his troops to destroy Nanjing Prefecture of the Liao Kingdom and established Yanshan Prefecture of the Song Dynasty.

But as news from the north came in one after another, it seemed to be quite different from what everyone had expected.

In March, spring finally arrived in Bianliang, the most prosperous city on Earth at that time.

Every year during this month, the Bian River rises, and duck herders watch the fluffy ducklings frolicking and foraging in the backwaters.

The willows along the embankment swayed in the wind as they sprouted new branches. Although it was not yet the season for southern boats to sail on the Bian River, merchants, having spent the winter in seclusion, returned to Bianliang early to transport all kinds of goods from the entire Song Dynasty to this most prosperous and bustling city in the world.

However, what no one noticed was that many of the merchants this year spoke with a Northwestern accent, and there were even more and more caravans of people from the Western Regions with distinctive features.

At the water gate, accents from both the north and south mingled, and vendors, doing business with passing merchants, shouted their wares with all their might.

The entire city of Bianliang suddenly came back to life from the dead of winter. The events that had occurred in the capital of the Song Dynasty and in the distant Yan region during the winter had been forgotten by the most resourceful people of Bianliang.

Not to mention those refined and noble scholar-officials.

Throughout history, the people of capital cities have always been the most enthusiastic discussers of political struggles within the court.

The people of Bianliang in the Song Dynasty were no exception.

However, although countless people from Yan who fled south spread the terrifying events of January and February, no one actually talked about them.

This happened not long ago; it's impossible to say I've forgotten.

But what can anyone do?

Only by avoiding these topics can one continue to indulge in the dream of being invincible in the Song Dynasty and the number one city in Bianliang.

In the heart of Bianliang, where spring has brought warmth to the river, there is a place that still exudes a chill.

Liu Guanglie stood anxiously outside, holding a cloak in his arms, occasionally peeking inside.

Finally, with the sound of footsteps, several officers escorted out a middle-aged man.

Liu Guanglie quickly went to greet him, draped the cloak over his shoulders, and called out through tears, "Father!"

Liu Yanqing was dressed in rags, looked extremely haggard, and exuded the damp, rotten smell unique to dungeons.

He tightened his clothes; just a few months ago, he had led an army of 100,000, full of vigor and ambition.

The father and son reached the crossroads, and Liu Guanglie helped him into a horse-drawn carriage.

Liu Yanqing lifted the carriage curtain and finally began to look at this illegitimate son whom he had always ignored.

Because his cousin is Chen Shao, Liu Guanglie's status has also risen accordingly.

"Are you still going to stay in Bianliang?" Liu Yanqing, who had been silent the whole way, felt his throat was dry and uncomfortable, and his voice was rough and unpleasant as soon as he opened his mouth.

"My son is in Bianliang, and he still has things to do." Liu Guanglie also boarded the carriage and drove it himself.

Liu Yanqing knew he was working for Chen Shao, so he nodded and asked, "Where's your older brother?"

"My elder brother has returned to Fuyan Road."

Liu Yanqing nodded inwardly. Although he had been arrested, the Liu family could not fall.

The eldest son was right to go back. This time, he believed Tong Guan's nonsense and completely offended the generals of the Western Army.

If he were to return and continue to command the Fuyan Army, the Liu family would become the enemy of the Western Army.

Only by passing this position to his son can he possibly gain their forgiveness.

So Liu Yanqing himself had no intention of going back. He wanted to stay in Bianliang and see how the old scoundrel Tong Guan would end up!

(End of this chapter)